Sunday, May 20, 2012, will mark the last day of Sunday school for this year. We would like to celebrate this year of learning by recognizing our teachers and volunteers during worship that morning and then by inviting EVERYONE to join us for a picnic on the front lawn following the 10:30 worship service.

We will provide hot dogs, baked beans, chips, ice cream "Sundays" and lemonade. After lunch we will enjoy participating in games of basketball, volleyball and Frisbee, as well as a variety of lawn games. In case of inclement weather, some indoor activities will be available.

ALL ARE WELCOME!!!

We are also looking for donations of ice cream toppings (chocolate sauce, sprinkles, whipped cream, etc.) as well as bottles of root beer or orange pop for floats. If you are able to help, please bring your item on or before May 20. We will have a box set up in the narthex beginning Sunday, May 13.

Join Daniel - torn from his home and forced into the king's service. Imagine learning a new language and culture... and the shock of discovering your best friends have been tossed into a fiery furnace. Explore exotic sights and smells in a Babylonian bazaar! Don't miss out. Register now to be part of this Babylon VBS!

To learn more and to register, click here.

Click here to watch the fun in "Babylon"! Join in the adventure!

You may also leave a message for Cindy on the church voicemail (651-429-6595) or send an email, "Attn: VBS".

During the school year (September - May), all children, ages 3 years (and potty trained) - 6th grade, are invited to Sunday School during the 9:00 AM service. Beginning in September 2011, we are using Spark! a Lutheran curriculum from Augsburg Fortress. Spark! is a Sunday school faith formation program designed for kids to get kids to open the Bible and explore God's Word. Sunday School offerings will go to Heifer International, which helps to provide food and teaching tools for families living in poverty.

During the school year (September - May) Confirmation meets on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Confirmation is open to all 7 - 10 grade youth. If you are interested in signing up for our Confirmation program, please contact Lynn Peterson or Pastor Jim Weckwerth at office@cslcvh.org or 651-429-6595.

For the young and the young-at-heart...
color pictures right onscreen.
Click on one of the subjects below.

What is God calling us to be and do as a congregation? The Mission Renewal Team is leading the congregation through a process to discern God's purpose for us at Christ the Servant. As part of this discernment process, we held a series of Mission Discussion Gatherings last fall to gather your hopes and dreams for the future of our congregation.

The Mission Renewal Team is working to distill your input into a strategic plan consisting of values and goals. Our core values are the key facets of our congregational life that we seek to maintain in whatever direction we are headed. No goal or direction shuld lead us away from our core values. Our goals are specific targets of what we seek to accomplish in both the near-term (1-2 years) and long-term (3-5 years). Our goals advance the mission of our church and move us toward our vision of what God is calling us to be.

Click here to view "Our Values" slide show.

Watch a presentation celebrating the giving stories from the past, as we remembered the examples of people who have taught us to be generous,

shown on January 8, 2012. (You will need to download the free Real Player® available here.)

Watch a presentation celebrating the giving stories from the present, as we share examples of the ministries we support now, "Saints Alive CSLC Present" shown on January 15, 2012. (You will need to download the free Real Player® available here.)

Watch a presentation celebrating the hopes and dreams of the future as we continue the legacy of generousity we would like to leave, "Saints Alive CSLC Future" shown on January 22, 2012. (You will need to download the free Real Player® available here.)

Matthew 6:21: “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

The confirmation group is sponsoring a sock and toiletry drive for Alley Shoppe. You can donate socks of all types and sizes and can be new or slightly used. We are also collecting toiletries including shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc. Even travel sized would be great. You can drop your donations in the box in the narthex between April 15th and May 26th. Alley Shoppe is a non-profit organization which serves needy families in Ramsey County.

Why school supplies? To the children who receive School Kits, these supplies mean the difference between getting an education or not. Public school is usually free, but in the places where Lutheran World Relief works, even a few required supplies, like pens and paper, may be more than many families can afford. And when parents can only afford to send one of their children to school, girls rarely get priority... yet the education level of mothers has the biggest impact on development.

With the help of several children and adults, we assembled 36 School Kits on Sunday, April 29. Thank you all for your help and donations!

Becoming involved in the process

The ELCA's system for developing social teaching statements is perhaps the most thorough and most open of any other denomination. It begins with a grassroots call--from congregations and synods--for examination of particular topics. The churchwide assembly sets it in motion, and a broad and knowledgeable task force is assembled to study and draft. Studies are produced and responses assembled. Then a first draft is issued. That is the stage at which the Social Statement on Criminal Justice has now arrived.

You are invited to read and study and discuss this draft (click here), and then to send in responses. Based on those responses, a final draft for consideration at the 2013 churchwide assembly will be produced next spring.

If you would like to learn more about the wonderful work done by Feed My Starving Children, go to www.fmsc.org.

Every day, 18,000 children die from starvation. You can make a difference for these children by volunteering at Feed My Starving Children!

Through ELCA Disaster Response, the ELCA is partnering with local responders in affected areas. ELCA congregations and members are already at work.

Donate through CSLC or online at www.elca.org/disaster or send check directly to: ELCA Disaster Response, 39330 Treasury Center, Chicago, IL 60694-9300.

Development projects of Lutheran World Relief focus on issues at the root causes of poverty. These debilitating causes tend to domino into more and more problems that trap people in poverty.

By the same token, attacking just one of these issues can help break the cycle, making people’s lives better and freeing them from suffering in many ways.

For more information and ways you can help, go to Lutheran World Relief.

Global Links contains highlights of ELCA ministry or connections in other countries.