Congratulations to EMC member Tadd Kreun, who was featured in the Star Tribune this week as landscape architect for the new Vikings stadium. Read the story.
Got 90 seconds for a bit of Minnesota history? Well-known cartoonist Dan Jurgens, an EMC member, recently was featured on MN90, telling about his connection to Superman and other popular comics. Listen here.
Today, after a year of preparation and study, and two faith retreats, five teens took the next step on their faith journeys, becoming confirmed at EMC and joining the church as members. Three more teens decided this was a step they were not yet ready to take. All eight were recognized during the service, during which they shared their statements of faith, showed a brief video of this past year (www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SgV3Bn5Lv8) and even performed a Jesus-themed rap. Two of the confirmands also were baptized.
Following the service, the confirmands, their families, other members and visitors joined them for a lunch offered by Women’s Fellowship and sponsored by the confirmands’ families.
The families wish to offer a special thank-you to all of the people who helped make this such a special day, including those who created the food, those who decorated the Fellowship Hall, those who cleaned up afterwards, and especially Interim Pastor Howard Bell and member Kris Kulevsky for the leadership, creativity and energy they shared with this great group of young people. The teens—Aiden, Anthony, Catriona, Esther, Greta, Joey, Mia and Susie—will miss their time with you!
EMC welcomed Michael Kimpur (left center with the Gennrich family) last week—both to our pulpit and to our floor, where the Daylight school director sat, sharing his easy charm with our youngest visitors and members. The children learned that in Kenya, people say “jambo” to say hello and answer that greeting with “hakuna matata,” a phrase many of them knew from The Lion King. It was a great opportunity for them to meet Kimpur, whose school (daylightcenter.org) received the goats and cow for which we raised money.
Kimpur’s sermon, “You will know we are Christians by our love,” began with his reflections on the sorrow of losing Prince. If only we knew the day and hour of our deaths, Kimpur asserted, we would be sure to tell those we love them and ask for forgiveness from those we’ve hurt. Kimpur called love a four-gigabyte word and challenged us to go beyond our comfort zone to meet and understand others.
During coffee hour, Lenny Snellman, M.D., chief of staff at Children’s Hospital, and Joel Jensen, M.D.—both members of First Presbyterian Church in Stillwater—spoke about their visits to Daylight, where they serve the children and area residents. Both talked about how rewarding it is to work with Kimpur and these children, who have high ideals and have set large goals for their futures. 
Learn how faith and faith communities play roles in recovery for people living with mental illness during a presentation this Sunday, May 1, 11:15 a.m, at EMC. Al Levin, representing the National Association on Mental Health (NAMI), will help you:
- increase your understanding of mental illness
- grasp the impact of the associated stigma, and
- learn about NAMI and its resources.
EMC member Gwen Williams will also share a bit of her story. A discussion will follow the presentation.
“Good question!” That was Marti Rice’s frequent answer to our myriad inquiries regarding native plants, nonnative plants, pollinators, and more during our annual Earth Day event on Saturday, April 23. (Who knew that native plants don’t need watering or fertilizers?!) In addition to her presentation—during which Marti provided seeds, containers for planting, and numerous resources—we enjoyed made-to-order omelettes, created T-shirt bags, observed a solar oven in action, and cleaned up Browndale Park. Thanks to Marti, Janet Anderson, cooks Neil and Greta Kulevsky, and everyone who contributed to this great event!
The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. —Psalm 24:1
Wine and good company: That was the recipe for a relaxing evening at our women’s social event on Friday. If you missed this event, keep an eye on the calendar for our next one!
It’s like a word problem from an elementary math class: “If a goat costs $100 and you raise $868, how many goats can you buy?” That was the surprising outcome when the EMC congregation exceeded their goal for Kenya’s Daylight School, a partner of our congregation. When school director Michael Kimpur was asked if the school could manage a whole herd, he was amazed by EMC’s generosity. Then he wondered if we could instead purchase one cow and three goats with the funds? Of course, we answered. “Now,” says Pam DeLaittre, congregational liaison, “the Daylight children will have milk from both cows and goats!”
Earth Day is just around the corner, and EMC is getting ready! Please join us for our second-annual Earthwork Breakfast on Saturday, April 23, 8:30–10 am. Enjoy an omelet, create a bag out of a t-shirt (shown), find out about pollinator-friendly plants, learn how to make your own seed paper, help clean up Browndale Park, and much more. Everyone is invited! Simply RSVP by calling 952-926-6555.
Mark your calendar for a UCC choir festival conducted by EMC’s own Alex Heetland. Our Chancel Choir—along with choirs from Parkway, Union and Mizpah—will unite to present Ralph Vaughan Williams’ 5 Mystical Songs on Sunday, April 17, at 4 p.m. Mizpah hosts; freewill offerings will sponsor mission work in East Timor. Don’t miss it!