Sunday, Feb. 2:
**Worship at 10:30, with Communion (and what feels like a "greatest hits" of scripture – cool!…yes, your pastor is a geek). Followed by fellowship downstairs (and later, someone can invite the Pastor and his kids to a Super Bowl Party if they want, he won't complain).
**Citywide Snowball Fight! (Morgan Park edition): 12:00-3:00 pm, at the church. We'll have Hot Chocolate. Details: Duluth is having a city-wide snowball fight (at Leif Erickson) and encouraging local communities to share in their own! More details here: https://www.perfectduluthday.com/the-event/citywide-snowball-fight/
Monday, Feb. 3: Bible Study at 6 pm. Join Pastor Paul as we explore this week's scripture in the lectionary and bring it into our lives and faith. Questions encouraged.
Tuesday, Feb. 4: AA meets in the Fellowship Hall, 6 pm
Wednesday, Feb. 5:
**"Grill's On!" Community Potluck: Join us between 5 and 7 as we share a meal together. We'll be ready by 5:00 for the folks in the choir. Friends and strangers welcome! As always, bring what you have, or just bring yourself. There is always enough!
**Choir meets at 6 pm in the Sanctuary. We'll sing on Sunday. All skill levels welcome.
Thursday, Feb. 6: AA meets in Fellowship Hall, 6 pm
Community
**Morgan Park Community Meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 4, 6 pm at the Good Fellowship Club. As a church, we are also a neighbor here in Morgan Park. Join us in guiding your community into the future.
**Feb. 27: Community Chili Cook-Off, 4:30-6:30: at Our Savior's Lutheran Church (4831 Grand) to benefit CHUM West Duluth Food Shelf. Can our congregation take home the trophy???
Mark Your Calendar:
**Monday, Feb. 10, 9:00 am: Baking Day – Doughnuts & Cookies: All who like to bake (and eat) are welcome to join in the fellowship and fun while making doughnuts and Valentine cookies.
From Pastor Paul: Toward Sunday
"The only rules are: if you hurt anyone, you're doing it wrong." ~advertisement for city-wide snowball fight this Sunday.
You read that right: "City-wide Snowball Fight"…and the blurb with the details says: "let this snowball fight spread through the city" – so I thought we could offer our place and our snow for the joy. Why not? Will somebody get a face full of snow? Sure. Will anybody get hurt? Hope not. But to be certain, there'll be smiles to go around. It's worth it, just for the fun of it.
"For the fun of it" may not be the typical phrase people associate with church, but I'm thinking that's overdue to change. I've seen plenty of people walk into church with nervously pensive eyes and a guilty demeanor, as if God is an angry parent waiting at the door with arms crossed and a stern brow, but that said, I've also seen their body language change as they encounter the other folks that walk through those doors with a smile and a welcome and an earnest "I'm darn glad to be here!"
Joy is contagious. That's why I think "for the fun of it" is a noble phrase for church.
Well, sure: matters such as faith and justice and right-relation are serious business, and deserve our full attention and care, but for all of our moments of contemplation, shouldn't our proper response to God's presence in our lives be celebration? Good Friday leads to Easter, Crucifixion to Resurrection.
We do this well here…this balance between "pray" and "play"…in our potlucks and projects and doughnuts and cookies (just to name a few), I hear plenty of laughter and joy. We are blessed to have a happy people, and because of that, we are equipped with a trust and comfort to care for one another when the going gets rough.
…But that's not going to keep me from throwing a snowball at you…you've been warned.
Keep in Touch!
Pastor Paul