God of Advent

God of Advent,
We are so close to Christmas Day, that
We can see your light shining in the dark
As we come closer and closer.
And as we draw nearer we find ourselves
tempted by all the busyness
Of the holidays to lose our focus on you.
Help us o Lord to keep our eyes on you.

God of Advent,
We have been waiting for what seems like a long time
For that special day to celebrate the birth of your son.
We have waited with hopeful hearts.
We have waited with longing for your peace.
We have waited with a desire for your joy.
And now we wait with a yearning for your love to be born in us again.

God of Advent,
When your steadfast love is birthed in us we will sing of you
And your love forever and ever.
When we are anointed by your love,
we will open our hearts and hands to the lonely, the needy,
the sorrowful, and those who are hurting.
We pray that we are able to share your love with all we meet.

God of Advent,
We pray that we are able to say yes to you when you call.
We pray that we are able to say “Here I am to you Lord.”
We pray that we can be your servants.
We pray that we can say as Mary said so long ago,
“Let it be with me according to your word.”
May all that we are glorify you, and may we rejoice in you
For you are our God, You are the rock of our salvation.
Yes, all our praise and love is focused through Jesus
On you o God.

Amen

cross posted from revgalsblog

Re-enchanted

Within these fragmented days,
a gentle invitation
threads through our lives,
reminding us that all is sacred
and rooted
in a love that knows no bounds.

And with that quiet knowledge we re-enchant our times,
taking risks on holy ground:
hearing God’s heartbeat in our global discomfort,
halting our harshness in our work for justice,
loosening our souls as our fears are named,
recognising new markers
in the passions of our prayers.

Re-enchanted,
we journey freely,
re-imagining God’s presence
with re-awakened minds;
discovering afresh that surprising healing Word
which today, so powerfully,
illumines our poverty of understanding.

~Peter Millar , Iona Advent collection

In Darkness and Light

We walk with God,
guided by the light of God’s loving spirit,
who enters the shadowed places of our hearts
and leads us into truth and life.

We wait for God,
and for the fulfilment of God’s promises,
for the time when the darkness will hold no fear
and the light will no longer blind,
but creation will be made whole once more
and God’s peace will reign for ever.

Amen

~Cally Booker, excerpt from Iona Creed for Advent

Spring Break trip to Living Waters in Cherokee, North Carolina

We have just started walking alongside our brothers and sisters in Christ at Living Waters ELCA church in Cherokee, North Carolina. This is the only Native American ELCA mission east of the Mississippi River. Liz Gaskins put us in touch with Pastor Jack Russell there and they would love to welcome a group of us over spring break.

Living Waters has been sharing their digital newsletter with us now for a few months and we hope to share ours now too more easily since it is going digital. In their newsletter they highlighted two new ministries: a clothes closet and food pantry for those who need either or both. We have supported their new clothes closet and food pantry ministries through mission committee, Mission Endowment and Thrivent funds. We are also sharing prayers and hope to continue to find more opportunities for learning and sharing our faith communities. Above are some photos of their Christmas tree, including a hand painted ornament.

Pastor Jack said they would love to have us join them for worship on Sunday, March 11 in North Carolina. They integrate some of their Native American traditions into the ELCA worship service. We are talking with Pastor Jack about staying a few days perhaps to work on a joint project together before heading back.

We would love to get an intergenerational group together to drive there for this "alternative spring break" trip. If you are interested in going, but don't think that it will work for you in March, please let us know. We might be able to arrange a trip in the summer either in addition to or instead of one in March. Please let the church office or Shari/Mission Committee know if you are interested in exploring this opportunity!

Kate and David at Glocal Mission Event in January

Our ELCA missionaries, Kate and David, will be presenting at the Glocal Mission Event in North Carolina at the end of January. They are unable to visit us in Bloomington over the holidays this year, so going to the Glocal Mission Event is a wonderful opportunity to see them and participate in the wonderful worship and learning experiences there. Let's see if we can get a group of St. Thomas folks to attend!

What: Glocal Mission Event
Where: Cary, North Carolina (suburb of Raleigh)
When: Friday afternoon and Saturday, January 27 and 28
Cost: $35 registration fee plus your transportation/housing

For more details, look on the ELCA website, call the church office or talk with Shari.

Mission updates

Thank you to Thrivent and the Mission Endowment Fund (MEF) for additional funds to support sponsoring a MCUM family for the holidays with both "essentials" and items from their "wish list" too. We are sponsoring a mother, 3 year old boy and twins due in the coming months. The photo above shows the packages all ready to be delivered and one of the little Spiderman bike for the 3 year old. Thank you also to congregation members who stopped to help wrap the gifts in the narthex.

Thank you also to the MEF for funds to help support our new relationship with Living Waters, a small ELCA church in Cherokee, North Carolina. We are looking for opportunities to share our mission and ministry with each other and learn more about Native Americans. Pastor Jack Russell of Living Waters has shared some initial stories of how their congregation integrates some Native American customs into the ELCA liturgical service. Look for more information here and in upcoming newsletters.

CROP Walk this Month!

Please support St. Thomas' efforts with the CROP Walk this year through:

Prayer
Financial donation
Walking

Look for the announcements and table at church or ask the church office. CROP Walk is Sunday, October 16th.
Thanks!

Fountain of Peace for Anniversary of 9/11

May we drink deeply from the fountain of peace,
Know peace deeply in ourselves,
Live in peace with our neighbors,
Create peace in the world.
We bless the Holy One,
Creator of wholeness, Source of Peace.

May you guard my tongue from evil,
And my lips from speaking lies.
Help me ignore the taunts of my foes,
And to forgive those who wrong me.
Open my heart to the wisdom of your word,
So that my feet will follow the path of righteousness.

May all who study destruction have their designs frustrated,
May this happen for the sake of the holiness of the world.

May the words of my mouth
And the meditations of my heart
Remain true and loving
And be acceptable in your sight.
May your light show us the way
To bring peace to all.

from "Siddur for Evening Shabbat" by Rabbi Maria Prager, as printed in "God Has No Religion" edited by Frances S Goulart

Pastor Lyle and Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light

Please see the article below from the Indy Star, "Living Green: Pastor believes stewardship is what God wants"

Lyle McKee, pastor of St. Thomas Lutheran Church and chairman of Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light Inc., Bloomington.

In 2009, my wife and I stretched our boundaries. We spent two weeks at a farm in Paoli learning about permaculture.

Permaculture is a design system for sustainable living that calls upon all of us -- as much as possible -- to grow our own food, produce our own energy, reuse what we have and create as little waste as possible.

Being beyond the half-century mark in age, roughing it for two weeks (alongside college students) was a challenge for us.

Permaculture is a combination of "permanent" and "agriculture," and it appealed to us as a way of moving toward simpler living.

We are convinced that current carbon levels in the atmosphere are far in excess of what the Earth can manage, and that our climate, species of plants and animals and the planet itself are undergoing stresses that will continue to compound unless we act now.

Our faith calls us to take care of God's good creation -- to "have dominion," which involves care and healing -- over the Earth.

The course transformed our decades-long dedication to stewardship of creation into what may be described as an obsession.

We have installed geothermal heating and air-conditioning. We have expanded our gardens and built our own greenhouse. Solar panels are being installed on our home's south-facing roof this month.

We will produce most of our own electricity (with current rebates and incentives, solar panels are a great investment) and much of our own food.

Because my faith mandates that I act, and the environmental crisis gives me a sense of urgency, I feel compelled to take this obsession to my work (I'm a Lutheran pastor) and my volunteer life.

On March 5, about 200 folks from Indiana representing some 19 different faith groups converged on Indianapolis to launch a new organization, Hoosier Interfaith Power & Light (H-IPL).

Our mission is to bring Hoosiers of faith together as stewards of creation to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency, renewable energy and related sustainable practices. I now chair the group, and we are moving forward in working with congregations and individuals seeking to live more lightly on God's good Earth. H-IPL is the 38th state affiliate of the national organization, Interfaith Power & Light.

Being part of that event was uplifting because so many people and congregations are working to help make a brighter future for our planet.

We believe that congregations are the veins -- the circulatory system and means of infusion -- for this hope and mission. Joint action is the key. We act not just as one, but alongside others across Indiana, leading, inspiring and showing the way forward.

For more information on the movement or to join, go to www.hoosier ipl.org.

As told to IndyStar reporter T.J. Banes at (317) 444-6815.

Prayer for a Summer Day

Prayer for a Summer Day

O God, giver and sustainer of all life, we thank you for this new day- this new summer day. Be with those who will have no place of respite in the summer heat. Help us to care for those who long for a sheltering cool place.


Bless those in need of rain with cool showers so that they may have a rich harvest. Guide us to be good stewards of the resources that you provide us.


For those who are enjoying the pleasures of vacation, may their travels be safe. May their hours be truly recreating. And for each of us Lord, grant a measure of your mercy and a fervent sense of your call to care for your world and each other.

Amen
from Revgalprayerpals
Photo from Homegrown Indiana Farm Tour, Padgett Family Farm

God of All Nations and Peoples

God of all nations and peoples,
Unite us in our common humanity,
Bind us together in peace, dignity and respect.
Help us recognize ourselves in each other,
Help us recognize You in each other.
Spur us to actions of kindness and forgiveness,
So that we can help each other heal and be whole.

Amen.

by Shari Rogge-Fidler

Lead Us Onward

Lead Us Lord

Lord of life, you walk this journey with us and through us;
LEAD US LORD, LEAD ON.

Journeying within, and wrestling with the world,
LEAD US LORD, LEAD ON.

Lead us to risk, to grow, and to tread the path you have opened for us;
LEAD US LORD, LEAD ON.

And let us rejoice that every place is your place;
IN THE NAME OF CHRIST, THE RISEN ONE. AMEN

~from Iona Eggs and Ashes

Holy Week Message from our ELCA Missionaries Kate and David

As missionaries serving in Latin America, we
are often asked how Liberation Theology affects our
ministry. As many of you know, the term “Liberation
Theology” was coined by Peruvian priest Gustavo
Gutierrez in 1971 to refer to a movement emerging in
Latin America at that time that views Christ’s life and
teachings through the eyes of those who are marginalized
by unjust political, economic and social systems.

One specific way that this theology has penetrated
our spiritual lives has been through a series of
paintings by Adolfo Perez Esquivel, an Argentine
human rights activist. In 1980 he won the Nobel
Peace Prize in recognition of his leadership in a nonviolent
movement to oppose the military dictatorships
that swept through Latin America during the 1960’s
and 1970’s. Esquivel’s paintings, “the Latin American
Way of the Cross” walk us through the Stations
of the Cross from the perspective of those who suffer
injustice in Latin America.

Over the past few years,
the opportunity to meditate on these paintings during
Holy Week has visually and spiritually integrated
Christ’s suffering with the historic and current struggles
of people in Latin America. This meditation refocuses
and renews our understanding of what it
means to be a disciple of Christ. As we visualize
Christ’s life through the lens of the Cross, we see so
simply and clearly how God chose to be revealed in a
human life that began amid the dehumanizing conditions
of Christ’s birth in a manger and ended in the
humiliation of Christ’s death on the Cross. In other
words, it was a life of complete solidarity with those
who suffer in this world. As Christ’s disciples today,
we are also called to continue the ministry of healing
and transformation that he began among the people
who lived at the margins of society during his time.

When we walk along this Latin American Way of the
Cross, we also arrive at new understandings of the Resurrection.
In the final painting of Esquivel’s stations of the
Cross (below), the Resurrected Christ stands with those
who have suffered persecution in Latin America from the
time of conquest through colonization into contemporary
times.

In the unwavering hope of these people
who never lost faith despite all of the
injustice that they faced, we see the true
power of the Resurrection. Our prayer
for this Easter Season is that we may be
renewed in our discipleship to walk ever
more faithfully with our companions
along the Way of the Cross as it is the
only path that leads us to a full understanding
of the power and hope of the
Resurrection.

With Easter Joy,
Kate Lawler-Wunsch and David Wunsch
ELCA Regional Representatives in
South America

Lent and Easter in Chichipate

The St. Thomas Mission Committee sent a letter to our brothers and sisters in Chichipate, sharing how we are marking Lent and Holy Week and how we will celebrate Easter. We received the following information in return this week about their practices in Chichipate. The photos above are of Teresa's grandkids and her family, including the great grandma! Teresa has been involved with Sister Parish for a long time. Here is how our friends celebrate Holy Week and Easter:

On Palm Sunday there is a procession that leaves one Catholic Church and walks to the other Catholic Church in Chichipate. After the procession they celebrate Mass.

One Wednesday the catechists and committees meet at 11 pm to make sure everything is ready and the jailing of Jesus starts at 12 pm. This is a re-enactment in which people dressed up as Jews put an image of Jesus in a jail. At 3 pm they take the image of Jesus out of jail and there is a procession that goes by every house in Chichipate. This procession ends around 8 pm when they return to the church and put the image back in the jail. There are also 24 people dressed up as apostles in this procession. The women and the catechists are the ones that carry the processional float.

On Thursday the organizers gather at 7 am and the procession begins at 8 am, ending at 12. Everyone goes home and comes back at 3 pm for the Washing of the Feet Mass. After Mass the committees chip in to buy sweet bread to share. At 7 pm there is a procession to the other Catholic Church.

On Friday they gather at the other church to process back to Santo Domingo de Guzman. At 3 pm they lower Jesus off the cross and at 6 pm they do the Stations of the Cross.

On Saturday afternoon everyone gathers on the soccer field. Each individual is to have brought a small candle. A large fire is built and a large candle is lit from this fire. Then each person lights their candle from the large candle and proceed back to the church for and evening Mass.

On Sunday they celebrate Mass of the Resurrection. Sometimes there is an invitation from the committees for a meal afterwards.

Emilio’s family eats fish and pacaya (date palm) on Friday and on Thursday they eat bread sweetened with honey. At Martin’s house they eat pacaya fried in egg. Enrique shared that his family’s tradition is also to eat fish during holy week. Ellen, the Executive Director of Sister Parish, had the pleasure of eating pacaya stew with egg and achiote flavouring at Teresa’s house on Monday morning.

Let us keep our friends in Chichipate in our prayers as each of our communities celebrate the Easter season.

Earth Day is Friday, April 22

Our Iona Lenten reflections have included the link we have with all of creation. Here is a prayer from Iona that is a good reminder on Earth Day too.

From quark to planet

Creator God,
from quark to planet your universe is awesome.
Give us eyes to gape at the wonders daily about us,
and the will to live in the harmony of your creating.
Help us to recognise and honour the connections of all things,
even at cost to our own wants and comforts;
so we may live gently on earth,
and all creation praise you.
Amen

~Chris Polhill/Iona

Lenten Images at St. Thomas

May Mission Related Events

May Mission related events and opportunities abound, so take a look and join us:

LWR/SERRV Fair Trade Sale on May 1 and May 15 in the narthex at St. Thomas;

ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) plant sale on May 8 and 15, please note that Jan is still seeking more plant donations too;

"Glocal" Mission Event in Chicago on May 6-7, this is a fabulous event organized by the ELCA office in Chicago. We are trying to get a team of 5-6 St. Thomas folks together to go and learn more about how we can engage in mission. These events are fun and well run, so think about attending and let the church office or Shari know if you are interested.

Guatemalan Discovery event on May 15 after the late service. Please bring your own brown bag lunch and we will have a few food items from Guatemala to share too. This will be both an educational and fun event, so please join us! Indrek Park will be sharing some of his experiences in Guatemala with us, as well as engaging us in some interactive linguistic/cultural activities.

Look for more information about all of these events in the weekly bulletins and the May newsletter. Feel free to contact the church office or Shari for more information too.

Labyrinth at St. Thomas in April

We are fortunate to have the use of a labyrinth to aid our Iona faith pilgrimage during Lent. The labyrinth will be available in Heritage Hall on:

Sunday, April 3 between services and after the second service,
Wednesday, April 5 before and after the noon and evening Lenten services for 30 minutes,
Sunday, April 10 between services and after the second service

Kari and Shari had the opportunity to make and use a beach labyrinth photographed above with the community on Iona. We hope that you will have the opportunity to use the labyrinth at St. Thomas for your own Lenten meditation and journey.

Here are some reasons that people like to use labyrinths as a tool: to pray, to heal, to grieve, to forgive, to gain clarity, to break old patterns, to explore, to connect with God in a new way, to receive help, to become more open, to relax and gain more peace, to celebrate, to integrate inner and outer realities, to wonder, to see what it is like, to see what might happen, to meditate, and more! Every time that you walk a labyrinth, you might experience something different. Come and find out!

Iona Early Spring Hope

Into the dark world
a snowdrop comes,
a blessing of hope and peace
carrying within it a green heart;
symbol of God's renewing love.
Come to inhabit our darkness, Lord Christ,
for dark and light are alike to you.
May nature's white candles of hope
remind us of your birth
and lighten our journey
through Lent and beyond.

~Kate McIIhagga, Iona

If you use Facebook, you might like to join The Iona Community page where there a lots of lovely photos and updates about the community.

Iona Peace and Justice

These photos were taken in the Iona Abbey and reflect a small portion of how Iona embraces and integrates peace and justice into the island, along with the weekly service of prayers for justice and peace.

Here is the Iona creed we said in church today, reflecting this week's theme of justice and peace in our Lenten journey at St. Thomas:

We believe in a God
whose love is the source of all life
and the desire of our lives,
whose love was given a human face
in Jesus of Nazareth,
whose love was crucified by the evil that waits to enslave us all
and whose love, defeating even death,
is our glorious promise of freedom.
Therefore, though we are sometimes fearful
and full of doubt,
in God we trust;
and, in the name of Jesus Christ,
we commit ourselves, in the service of others,
to seek justice and to live in peace
to care for the earth
and to share the commonwealth
of God's goodness,
to live in the freedom of forgiveness
and the power of the spirit of love,
and in the company of the faithful
so to be the church,
for the glory of God. Amen.

ELCA and Japan Earthquake Relief

March 11, 2011

Earthquake Relief 2011: Japan

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,

On Friday an 8.9-magnitude earthquake caused severe damage and led to a tsunami that overwhelmed cities and farmland in Japan. Tsunami warnings have been raised around the Pacific Rim. ELCA Disaster Response is monitoring the situation and preparing this church's response, both internationally and domestically as needed.

All 22 ELCA missionaries in Japan have reported that they and their families are safe and well.

The ELCA and its predecessor church bodies have a long history in Japan, dating back to 1892. The Japan Evangelical Lutheran Church has a rich tradition of education and service to those who are in need, and we will continue to walk alongside our companions in ministry as they respond to the disaster.

Please continue to pray for those affected by this disaster.

Contributions can be made to ELCA International Disaster Response for the Pacific Earthquake and Tsunami Response. Your gifts will be used to assist those whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by this disaster in Japan and other affected islands.

Thank you for your gifts. Your prayers and partnership are needed.

Sincerely,

The Rev. Daniel Rift
Director, ELCA World Hunger and Disaster Appeal

Ways to Give

Check or money orders sent to:

ELCA Disaster Response
39330 Treasury Center
Chicago, IL 60694-9300

Write "Pacific Earthquake & Tsunami" on your check's memo line.

-----------------------

Give by phone at 800-638-3522 or online at http://www.elca.org/japanearthquake

Lenten Journey with Iona Prayers

We will be observing Lent at St. Thomas this year with Iona liturgy, prayers, songs and practices. The photos here link with Pastor Lyle's sermon for Ash Wednesday where he mentioned arriving via ferry, the Abbey, the crosses on Iona, and the sculpture in the courtyard. Here is an Iona prayer to set the tone for our pilgrimage through Lent together:

Lead us on our journey

God, our God,
you have called us to be a people
on the move;
travelling light,
dying to live,
ready to lose ourselves for the sake of the world.
You have called us to be a people
with a purpose;
travelling without a map,
travelling to where we are led,
sustained by your Spirit,
committed to the gospel for the hope of the world.

Move us on our journey
from where we are to where you want us to go.
Open our eyes on the way
to the people of different cultures, continents and countries,
who can bring color to our lives.
Take us on our journey
from where we are to what you want us to be;
so that we become a community
where all are welcomed and no one is excluded,
all are valued and no one is made to feel inadequate,
all are forgiven and no one is ashamed to belong,
all are encouraged and no one is too hurt to come among us.

Lead us on our journey
from who we are to who you want us to be;
so that patience is built into us,
kindness is assumed in us,
gentleness is part of us,
compassion flows from us,
truth is second nature to us,
and the commitment of love is part of us.

Let us go gladly on the journey towards Easter –
the journey towards death and resurrection.
Let us journey in the peace and power of the Spirit.

~ by Ruth Harvey/Iona

Inspiring Hoosiers to Care for Creation

Hoosiers of all faiths will gather at noon on Saturday, March 5, to celebrate God’s creation and issue a call to reduce energy use in our homes and congregations.

You are invited to join Lutherans and other people of faith on Saturday March 5 (Noon – 3:10 p.m.) at First Baptist Church, 8600 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, for the first statewide gathering of Indiana clergy and lay people committed to acting as more responsible stewards of God’s Earth. This event will launch Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light (H-IPL). Pastor McKee represents the Indiana-Kentucky Synod on the H-IPL Board of Directors.

The program will include:
• an interfaith worship service
• choral music celebrating the beauty and wonder of creation (all singers are invited to participate)
• presentations on three programs that equip congregations to inspire and enable their members to significantly reduce energy use
• breakout sessions for clergy and lay leaders interested in beginning faith-based energy conservation initiatives in their communities and denominations

To register, go to www.HoosierIPL.org or call the church office (332-5252). Those interested in joining the choir are asked to indicate this on the registration form and arrive by 11 a.m. to practice.

Websites to Help our Light Grow

During this winter season which we refer to as the season of growing light, I have found many websites useful in keeping my internal flame going and growing. I thought I would share them here for others, in case you might find some useful too. Some are Lutheran and others are ecumenical. Enjoy and may your light glow and grow!

Lutheran:
A blog of blogs and videos produced by the ELCA:
http://www.livinglutheran.com
A blog of top Lutheran blogs:
http://theologydegreesonline.com/the-top-50-lutheran-blogs
A website targeted for young adult women:
http://www.elca.org/Growing-In-Faith/Ministry/Women-of-the-ELCA/Cafe-Stirring-the-Spirit-Within.aspx

Ecumenical:
By the authors of Spiritual Literacy, a site packed with tons of prayers, music, video and more:
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com
Another site packed with prayers, art, music, meditation and more:
http://www.explorefaith.org/Index.php
A site that focuses on cultivating an attitude of gratitude. Look for the light a candle link on the side:
http://www.gratefulness.org/index.htm
A site developed by and for female clergy who share prayers with each other:
http://revgalprayerpals.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=10
Downloadable audio prayers for MP3 players or on your computer:
http://www.pray-as-you-go.org
Links to different types of prayers:
http://slu.edu/prayerbook/find-a-prayer
Daily meditation/prayer from Ireland:
http://sacredspace.ie

February Prayers Near and Far

Living God,
Be with those without electricity and warmth,
Help others reach out in community,
To help keep them safe and warm.
Be with those providing care and support;
Wrap all involved in your love and light.
Amen.


God of All People,
Shine your light and wisdom on Egypt,
Comfort those who have lost loved ones,
Guide all parties to seek peaceful solutions,
Quicken the process to preserve lives and provide stability,
For the people in the region and the world.
Amen.

by Shari Rogge-Fidler

Native American Indian Event at St. Thomas

Come join us on Sunday, February 20 for a very special event at church after the second service! We will gather for lunch and to watch the video, "Native Nations: Standing Together for Civil Rights." Liz Gaskins will be hosting this event with the support of the Mission Committee. The Mission Committee is hoping that we can learn more about Native American Indians together during this and some potential future events. Please bring a brown bag lunch and/or some food to share - Liz will be bringing some of her very own special native dishes from her tribe to share with us!

Native Nations: Standing Together for Civil Rights
Native Nations, hosted by Peter Coyote, chronicles the American Indians’ struggle for civil rights, and the creation of the National Indian Lutheran Board to raise funds and awareness for that struggle. From the controversy surrounding the 1862 trial when 38 Dakota Sioux were executed in the largest single-day mass hanging in United States history, to the confrontation of the 1960s when many Indian tribes joined together to speak out with a unified voice, Native Nations tells the story of standing together for sovereignty, justice and civil rights. ~ summary from ELCA website

Mission Media Series: Book Chat this Wednesday, January 26

Come join us on Wednesday, January 26 at Carol Seaman's condo to reflect on the book and issues surrounding, "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind." This is about a boy in Malawi who invented a windmill and the ripple effects that occurred. As the book cover says, "It will inspire anyone who doubts the power of one individual's ability to change his community and better the lives of those around him."

Please join us even if you didn't get a chance to read the book. If you want, you can watch a short video online about the book and/or visit the website at www.movingwindmills.com. You can meet at church at 6:30 pm if you would like help finding the way to her condo or to car pool. Otherwise, there is enough parking there if you would like to go directly to 3820 E. Cobblecreek, (complex called Stella Ridge) just off Smith Road south of the church close to Moore's Pike. We will begin at about 6:45 and go until about 8:15 pm. We look forward to seeing you there for a time of reflection, discussion and fellowship!

ELCA and Haiti: Generosity and Need

CHICAGO (ELCA) --The ELCA continues to be engaged in Haiti, concentrating its efforts on a multiyear rebuild-
ing effort one year after a devastating earthquake. Efforts include meeting human needs by providing food, wa-
ter, temporary shelter and medical supplies while focusing on longer-term efforts such as responding to housing
needs, and providing educational and income-generating opportunities.
Members of the ELCA gave more than $12.6 million for relief and recovery in Haiti after the earthquake and
about $4.2 million has been spent for work in Haiti and for Haitians who were sent to the United States for medi-
cal care.
On January 12, 2010, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit the island in the south-central part of the country near
Port-au-Prince. The quake resulted in the deaths of nearly 250,000 people, injured 300,000 people and resulted
in more than 1.5 million displaced people, most of whom are still living in camps.
The ELCA provided relief through the Lutheran Church in Haiti; The Lutheran World Federation-Haiti; the
ACT Alliance, Geneva; Church World Service, New York; and Lutheran World Relief, Baltimore. Funds provided
health kits, mosquito nets, blankets, tents, tarps, quilts, clean water systems and sanitation equipment. Truck con-
voys brought in medical supplies during the fi rst few weeks after the disaster.
The challenges ahead are monumental. “Giving for work in Haiti has been generous, and every penny given
will be used for the response,” said the Rev. Daniel Rift, director of the ELCA World Hunger Appeal. Information
about the ELCA’s response to the disaster is at www.ELCA.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Responding-to-the-World/

~from IK Synod February newsletter

Please continue to keep the people of Haiti and those working for and beside them in your prayers.

Mission Media Series: January Book Discussion

Carol has invited us to join her in reading and discussing a book she loves called, "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kakwamba (aka the boy) and Bryan Mealer. This is a great way to start the new year with the subtitle of "Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope."

Carol suggests we meet at church at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, January 26 and car pool to her house since there is limited parking near her home. The gathering will go roughly from 6:45 pm until 8:15 pm. Please see the weekly bulletin for more information and her email address or check the church directory to contact her.

The first link below describes the boy from Malawi and his amazing story, then the second link is to the book itself.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8257153.stm

http://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Harnessed-Wind-Electricity/dp/0061730327

We hope to see you there!