Alpha Course at Chain of Lakes: Chain of Lakes New Church Development is offering the Alpha course.  They are starting with a Celebration Dinner on Wednesday, September 30^th at 6:00 p.m. at the Hampton Inn in Lino Lakes, 579 Apollo Drive.  The Alpha course provides response to basic questions of faith.  Free dinner is offered and child care.  Call their office for more info-651-528-7321 or just come on September 30th.

Bread for the World Founder to Visit Cities - Rev. Art Simon, the founder and president emeritus of Bread for the World, will travel across the United States to meet with anti-hunger advocates and talk about his new book The Rising of Bread for the World: An Outcry of Citizens Against Hunger. Art will share the surprising story of how God uses ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference in the lives of hungry people. 

He’ll share this amazing story-and talk about why urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad is as important now as ever.

The event is open to the public, but please let us know that you will be attending this event so we can reserve your copy of The Rising of Bread for the World. Register at www.bread.org/events

Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Church of Corpus Christi

Address:
2131 Fairview Ave N
Roseville, MN 55113-5499

Fall Lecture Series at Shepherd of the Hill: How do communities deal with consensus, diversity and dissent?  How does the majority deal with the other who disturbs its consensus?

Dialogues’ new series The ‘Other’ & the Community of Belonging  begins with a reenactment of a 1637 trial that influenced the framers of the U.S. Constitution and moves on to look at the dynamics of the majority and “the other” in our own time.  Check the church web site (www.shepherdofthehillchurch.com)  or call 952-448-3882for more detail.

October 6 (Tuesday) 7 PM – The Trial of Anne Hutchinson - Black Box Theater of the new Chanhassen High School, 2200 Lyman Road, Chanhassen.  Please call 952-556-6200 to let us know you plan to attend.  Seating is limited.

October 13 (Tuesday) 7 PM – An Evening with Anne Hutchinson (Esther Tomljanovich) - Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church, 145 Engler Blvd.,Chaska.

November 10 (Tuesday) 7 PM - Religion and the U.S. Constitution  with Professor Michael Steenson and Justice Paul Anderson – Shepherd of the Hill.

We’re pleased that the Chaska Valley Family Theater and the Chaska Human Rights Commission and the Beacon Council of School District 112 are co-sponsors for the Trial of Anne Hutchinson.  The Beacon Council is co-sponsor for the entire series. 

Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian is located at 145 Engler Blvd in Chaska.

Peacemaker from Iraq to Visit: Our Presbytery will be hosting an international peacemaker  October 13-19. First Presbyterian,  Stillwater will be making the arrangements, and would love to coordinate other events throughout the Presbytery. Contact the church  at 651.439.4388 or Ann Rock at 651.439.0192.

Pastor Younan G. Shiba grew up in a traditional Assyrian church with his family in Iraq. He has served in Jordan and Syria with Iraqi expatriates, in Baghdad with the Assyrian Evangelical Presbyterian Church, and as the Director of Operations in Iraq with the SALT Foundation, a non-governmental organization affiliated with the Open Doors organization. In 2005, as a result of threats, Pastor Shiba and his family came to the United States as religious refugees. Currently they are serving in the northern suburbs of Chicago among the Assyrian and Arab communities.

Presbyterian Pastor Leads Benedictine Series:  Barbara Ann Keely, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church and an associate professor of Christian Education at United Theological Seminary, is leading a series of workshops at the Benedictine Center in Maplewood.  These workshops, called “Benedictine Spirituality as Ecumenical Resource” will help Christians of all denominations find inspiration and guidance in the values of St. Benedict, a mystic and monk who lived in the Fifth Century.

They will be held on Saturday mornings, from 9 a.m. to noon, and cost $35 each.

 Dates and topics are as follows:

• October 29: “Awareness of God”
• December 3: “Humility, Hospitality and Conversation”
• January 14: “Nurturing the Common Good”

Dr. Keely is also a parish associate at Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview and a Benedictine Oblate affiliated with St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.  She authored Faith of Our Foremothers: Women Reshaping Religious Education, writes a column for The Clergy Journal and is a popular keynote speaker and workshop leader in the areas of adult education and spiritual formation in the Congregation.  

To register for one or all of her workshops, or to get more information, go to www.stpaulsmonastery.org and follow the Benedictine Center link, call 651-777-7251 or email: benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org.  The Benedictine Center, a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters at St. Paul’s Monastery, is located at 2675 Benet Road in Maplewood.

Academy of Vital Christianity: This fall, the Academy for Vital Christianity is offering classes in churches in the metro area as well as Alexandria, Duluth, Mankato, Rochester, and eastern North Dakota. Students will have the opportunity to learn from United’s outstanding and dedicated faculty members in classes that will meet for a total of 10 classroom hours in a variety of convenient configurations. For a description of courses or to register, please go to http://unitedseminary.edu/CommunityPrograms/academy.asp.

Jazz Concert @ Dayton Avenue: Thom West and Friends a local Twin Cities Jazz Combo, will perform at Dayton Avenue Presbyterian on Sunday, October 18 at 5pm. Well-known in local jazz circles, Thom is a professional jazz musician who has played at at venues throughout the Twin Cities for over 25 years. This is an opportunity to hear this renowned musician for free.

Dayton Avenue is located at 217 Mackubin Street in St.Paul.  Call or email for tickets, 651-227-7389 or office@DAPC.org.

Children’s Sabbath: October 16-18, 2009. This year’s theme, Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope and a Better Tomorrow focuses on children in poverty, children’s health care, and the pipeline to prison.  In this time of economic hardship, it is more important than ever to insure that our children do not fall through the cracks. Children’s Sabbath is a great way to get your congregation aware of and involved in children’s issues. Join congregations across the country that will be participating in the National Observation of Children’s Sabbath. See the Joint Religious Legislative Council (JRLC) website (http://jrlc.org) for more information about Children’s Sabbath and to find stories from congregations who have participated in the past.

Youth Retreats at Clearwater Forest: Three youth retreats are scheduled this fall at Presbyterian Clearwater Forest, Deerwood, Minn. The Middle School Fall Retreat runs Friday through Sunday, Oct. 16-18; the Senior High Fall Retreat is set Friday through Sunday, Oct. 30-Nov. 1; and the Confirmation Retreat wraps up the three-day events, running Friday through Sunday, Nov. 13-15. Additional information and registration materials can be found at www.clearwaterforest.org.

Collegiate Ministries Conference: The Synod of Lakes and Prairies is already receiving registrations for its second annual  collegiate ministries conference, “Making Connections in Time of Change.” The conference runs Monday through Wednesday, Nov. 9-11, in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Hotel accommodations are at the Holiday Inn University Plaza and most conference sessions will take place at First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls. Regisgration is simple. From now through Oct. 9, the registration fee is $45. Yes, $45. And that fee will cover everything but travel expenses to get to the hotel. Yes, it includes two night’s lodging, two continental breakfasts, opening banquet, two lunches and all presentations. After Oct. 9, the fee increases to $50. To register, contact Duane Sweep, synod associate for communications, at dsweep@lakesandprairies.org.

Ministering to the Missing Generation: October 30, 2009 at United Seminary in New Brighton. An all day event featuring the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, a Presbyterian pastor and the author of Tribal Church and co-host of the God Complex with Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow.  The cost is free to authorized members of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ and $55 for all other attendees.  There is also $7 charge for lunch.  To register, please email Renee Flesner at rflesner@unitedseminary.edu   or by phone at 651‐255‐6138.

Spiritual Vitality in Turbulent Times – Personal and Corporate Practices – is the theme of the upcoming Minnesota Area Five Day Academy for Spiritual Formation.  The Academy will be held November 8-13, 2009 at Christ the King Retreat Center in Buffalo, MN.

The focus on corporate practices will be taught by Don Saliers, who was the William R. Cannon Distinguished Professor of Theology and Worship at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia until his retirement in 2007. Don received his B.A. from Ohio Wesleyan University, and both his B.D. (Bachelor of Divinity) and his Ph.D. from Yale University.  An accomplished musician, theologian, and scholar of liturgics, Don is the author of numerous books on the relationship between theology and worship practices. He recently co-authored A Song to Sing, a Life to Live with his daughter Emily Saliers, a member of the Indigo Girls. 

The focus on personal practices will be led by Kathryn Damiano.  Kathryn is a Quaker who brings over 20 years of experience as a spiritual director to her ministry.  She has a Master of Divinity, a Master of Arts in counseling psychology, and a Ph.D. in spiritual psychology. 

The Academy for Spiritual Formation is open to laity and clergy.  The total cost is either $575 for a single room or $525 for a double.  This includes linens, private bath, meals and tuition.  To receive a brochure with additional information about the Academy, please email Deb DeMeester, Retreat Leader, at demeesterd@aol.com.  To register, click on “Events Registration” at http://www.minnesotaumc.org /.  The Academy is co-sponsored by The Upper Room and the MN Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Pastor Kara Roots notes that 38 people from 11 congregations took part in the event. The following is from Brian Manwarren, an elder at Edgcumbe Presbyterian in St. Paul.

 I was privileged to attend Andy Root’s presentation at Lake Nokomis Presbyterian on September 19.  I greatly appreciated the fellowship and fraternity of the event.  Luncheon conversations are always cool and this was no exception.. The sharing of ideas and the networking engendered will no doubt be helpful as we think about and talk about the challenges that face our Church communities.  I am new to the Presbytery Community and found the social and discussive part of the day great fun.  Dr. Root tried to cover a lot of ground in one session.  And for the most part, I think, it worked.  He is both playful and stimulating.  Though in the last hour-probably because of time constraints-he strayed from his most effective teaching style.  It would be helpful to work through this book in a series of classes and discussions.  I enjoyed the event and the introduction to Andy Root’s work.  And thanks to Kara for hosting.  It is beyond the scope of this note to discuss the “stuff” of Dr. Root’s talk.  Suffice it to say that in my mind honest and heartfelt communication and, hopefully, relationships are the “places” where we can build communities.  This involves risk and acceptance.

Carol Howard Merritt

October 30, 2009 at United Seminary in New Brighton. An all day event featuring the Rev. Carol Howard Merritt, a Presbyterian pastor and the author of Tribal Church and co-host of the God Complex with Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow.  The cost is free to authorized members of the Minnesota Conference of the United Church of Christ and $55 for all other attendees.  There is also $7 charge for lunch.  To register, please email Renee Flesner at mailto:rflesner@unitedseminary.edu or by phone at 651‐255‐6138.

They will be held on Saturday mornings, from 9 a.m. to noon, and cost $35 each.

“With her expertise in Christian education, spiritual formation and pastoral ministry,” says Sam Rahberg, associate director of the Center, “she will provide fresh insights on what it means to be a Christian.”

 Dates and topics are as follows:

• September 24: “Benedictine Spirituality as an Ecumenical Resource”
• October 29: “Awareness of God”
• December 3: “Humility, Hospitality and Conversation”
• January 14: “Nurturing the Common Good”

Dr. Keely is also a parish associate at Presbyterian Church of the Way in Shoreview and a Benedictine Oblate affiliated with St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville.  She authored Faith of Our Foremothers: Women Reshaping Religious Education, writes a column for The Clergy Journal and is a popular keynote speaker and workshop leader in the areas of adult education and spiritual formation in the Congregation.  

According to Dr. Keely, “Benedictine values can help shape the spiritual life of any person or community of faith desiring to draw nearer to God.  Each of these sessions will show how Benedict rooted his ‘rule of life’ in the Gospel.”

            To register for one or all of her workshops, or to get more information, go to www.stpaulsmonastery.org and follow the Benedictine Center link, call 651-777-7251 or email: benedictinecenter@stpaulsmonastery.org.  The Benedictine Center, a ministry of the Benedictine Sisters at St. Paul’s Monastery, is located at 2675 Benet Road in Maplewood.