Welcome to First Lutheran!

July 1, 2024

Hello beloved of FLC Karlstad –

 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will affliction or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?... 37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~ Romans 8:35,37-39

We are fully in the swing of the summer months. School is out. We just finished Vacation Bible School through Pathways. I think we can all safely say we are excited to take time out in God’s creations. To be still, and remember that God is God (Psalm 46). 

Just like the last couple of years, we are combining our July and August Lamplighters. So, let’s dive into the news for these two months.

The first big piece of news is that we just finished Vacation Bible School for this summer. We had over 20 kids register, 6 of whom are regulars for Wednesday School. This means, the majority of the kids attending do not regularly come to our church. This has been a great ministry opportunity to get to know the kids of our community, and share Jesus’ love with them. We had three counselors from Pathways come to lead VBS. They did such a fantastic job! We appreciate the work they did.

I want to say a big thank you to all the people who helped support VBS. Carolyn T., thank you for housing the counselors and feeding them breakfast. Kathy & Everett E., Lori A., Kristyne and Jeff D., Julie W., Kim J., Kami K., Bonnie L., and Beth M. - thank you for providing lunches and dinners for our counselors. They loved every meal and appreciated your hospitality. Jena D., Gene L., Annie G., Carolyn T., Julie W., Kim J., and Bonnie L. thank you for registering the kids, and helping each day run smoothly. Finally, I am so grateful for the women who help to run our children and youth ministry: Jamie, Jena, Sheree, Kaitlin, Kristin and Carolyn. Thank you for all you do. We are the body of Christ. All of our gifts are needed and appreciated. Thank you!

With VBS and children, youth, and family ministry close at mind, I also want to put a plug out that we need help for Wednesday School, Confirmation, and Youth Group. Carolyn, Jena, Jamie, Sheree, and Beth have all been teaching for 10+ years. In the last year, Carolyn and Justina have felt the call to step down and focus on different parts of their lives. Jena, Jamie, and Sheree are close behind them. And while I love our kids with every fiber of my being, I cannot do our children, youth, and family ministry on my own. And, as a church, we cannot expect the children, youth, and family ministry to only fall on the shoulders of young parents. Our families and kids are so busy and exhausted. At this time, they don’t have the mental capacity to add one more thing to their plates. We need help. If you love kids; if you love their weirdness and sassiness; if you find joy in exploring faith with them and asking questions, then I invite you to start praying. Pray and see if God is calling you to help with children, youth, and family ministry this year. And if you have any ideas or suggestions, please share them with me. I’d love to brainstorm. I know this is a serious plea, but I am hopeful and I trust that God will provide for the needs of our kids.

Alrighty, outside of children, youth, and family ministry, we are still in Paul’s letter to the Romans this summer. Last month, we explored the background of Romans. This month, I would like to define some words we see frequently:

Faith: the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1)

Grace: a gift from God we don’t deserve.

Justification / Righteousness: Being made right before God.

Law: the law refers to the Jewish laws from the Hebrew Bible. A major part of following God for Jewish Christians was to follow the 613 laws of the Torah.

Redeemed / Redemption: to be redeemed typically referred to a person being bought out of slavery in ancient times. As Christians, Jesus redeems us through his death on the cross. His death and resurrection frees us from the bondage of sin and death.

So, as Lutherans, when we talk about being justified by grace through faith, we are saying that we are made right before God, as a gift, because of our hope and assurance in Jesus. Hopefully, defining these words will help us better understand Paul’s letter to the Romans as we explore it further this summer.

Finally, I want to share with you my vacation and continuing education plans. I have not shared this officially, but my parents are going to be moving to Stephen, MN part-time in the summer months. We have been in conversation with Jeff’s church in Stephen, and they are allowing my parents to rent out their parsonage. Because of this, we are going out to California July 8-13 to help my parents with last minute moving stuff before they drive out to Minnesota. Just like our time off in June, I am wanting to take time off to help my parents and be with them, so I will do my best to not answer phone calls, emails, or text messages during this time. 

  As for continuing education, I am doing a couple different things both for church and school. On the church front, I am going to a Women in Ministry Gathering in Sioux Falls, SD August 6-8. This will be a good time to connect with other women in ministry, and be fed by God’s Word.

On the school front, I’m waiting to have conversations with Tri-County at the beginning of July to see if Jeff and I are teaching choir for this next year. If we are, I want to do a good job with teaching our kids. There is a week-long, online choir educator class from July 29 through August 2. I will be able to attend this class while working in the church office, and I am free to do my normal pastoral duties - like communion and visitation. There is also a choir music listening day on Wednesday, August 14 in Grand Forks. These classes will allow me to do the best job I can for our kids at Tri-County. As soon as we know what the plan is for this next year, I will announce it in church. Until then, this is the tentative plan.

That is it for the months of July and August. I hope you have a wonderful summer! I’m excited to pray for our kids with you. I’m excited to explore Romans with you. And I pray you find time for sabbath and rest in God’s tender mercy.

God’s Peace,

Pr. Caitlin Jensen-Brown