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FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH OF HOOPLE

April
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24 Hour Famine April 4th-5th

Love of God
Palm Sunday. Holy Thursday. Good Friday. Easter. This month we reach the pinnacle of the story of Jesus. After three plus months of Johns gospel and different stories of Jesus as Gods word made flesh, baptized (John 1), changer of water to wine , cleanser of the temple (John 2), late night spiritual counselor to Pharisees (John 3), extender of Gods grace and love to foes, healer (John 4-5), bread of life (John 6), living water (John 7), light of the world (John 8), healer of the physically and spiritually blind (John 9), good shepherd (John 10), raiser of the dead (John 11), vine to the branches (John 15), and person of prayer (John 17), this month we reach holy week and the stories of Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem and people shouting hosanna!, having his last supper with his disciples, being arrested, tried and crucified, and after three days in the ground rising from the dead. Ever since Jesus lived, died, and was raised people have asked the question okay, what does all this mean? For the past several weeks as a part of Lent Conspiracy weve been thinking about love. Love less. Love more. Love near. Love far. This upcoming week well think about Love new. Out of all the gospels, the word love occurs most in John (11 times in Matthew, 4 times in Mark, 13 times in Luke, and 30 times in John). As I have come to understand Jesus and faith in Jesus, I believe that he came that we might love certain unhelpful, oppressive, and life negating ways of the world less, that we might love God more with our hearts, souls and minds and be better off for it, that we might love our families, friends, neighbors, and communities in more caring, compassionate, and healthier ways, that we might know and love new life fresh starts, new perspectives, new hearts, and freedom from the past. Originally our last theme of lent conspiracy was going to be Love God by worshipping holy week. Certainly you can love God by worshipping holy week. But as Ive thought about this theme, its too small. Instead of Love God being our last lent theme, our theme will be Love of God. And heres why. Over the course of the last two thousand years there have been different answers to the question of what Jesus life, death, and resurrection all means. Some have said that God needed a sacrifice for the sin of the world. Just as people of the Hebrew faith would sacrifice animals in order to be put back into right relationship with God, so Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice to restore the worlds relationship to God. Some have said that the sin of the world needed to be punished by God and so God sent his only son to receive the worlds punishment. Others have said that God sent Jesus to once and for all defeat sin, death and the devil. Some have said that God sent Jesus in order to give power to the weak, to show Gods preference for the poor, to give courage to the oppressed, and freedom to the captive. (continued on page 2)

Feed My Starving Children trip 4/4 for leagues and 4/6 for all ages

Evening Meal at Mission 4/12 from 4-6pm,

Holy Thursday Worship/First Communion on 4//17 at 7pm

Good Friday Still Frame Worship 4/18 at 7pm

Easter Worship 4/20 at 9:30am

INSIDE:

Happenings Youth Birthdays/ Anniversaries Calendar

2 3 4 5

Lent Schedule 6

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Its important how we answer the question as to why God sent Jesus. Its Important because how we do speaks to who we believe God to be. And this is important because who we think God to be has the potential to affect how we think, speak, live and act. It seems to me that John would have us understand the Jesus story perhaps first and foremost as many have come to understand it as the Love of God. That is, a story that says God sent Jesus to show the world that he will go to the greatest extent possible even death itself, to show the world how great his love is for it. Early in the gospel the words on Jesus lips are For God so loved the world that he sent his only son(John 3:16). As I see it, some of the reasons put forth for why God sent Jesus fall in line with the love of God more than others. That God would send Jesus to die on the cross to receive the punishment of the world doesnt look like love to me. But that God would send Jesus to be victorious over sin, death and the devil that these things would no longer have power over and would finally be defeated in peoples lives, yeah that looks like love to me. That God would send Jesus to show how much God cares for the down and out, poor, oppressed and captive, yeah that looks like love to me. I believe God calls us to love less, more, near, far and new, but we might also remember where our love comes from. 1 John 4:19 says We love because he first loved us. All this reminds me of a funeral, an email, a monk, a bible verse and a book. I was once at a funeral and had a conversation with someone who spoke of the dead (this persons friend) and this person basically said I dont know the eternal fate of my friend Bob (different name). I also once received an email at the death of a person that said something to the effect of Fortunately in Jesus our hope is eternal life, unfortunately for those who didnt believe, their eternal fate is hell. Lut her at one point in his life was a monk. And it is said that he was a faithful, good monk. But he wrote about how uncertain he was as to what God thought of him. He thought he had not done enough good, that even in spite of the good he had done that he still wasnt sure if God loved him or not. And then Luther had a breakthrough one day when reading scripture. Luther came to believe that it wasnt his works, his goodness, his faithfulness that saved him, but rather it was the grace a nd love of God shown to him in God sending Jesus. And it freed Luthers conscience. I think of John 10:10 and Jesuss words I came that you might have life and have it abundantly. A peaceful conscience sounds a lot like abundant life to me. So theres a book written by Carl Braaten and in it he argues that a problem with some interpretations of Jesus is that Jesus is too small. With a focus on things like Jesus as personal Lord and savior it may be easy to forget verses that speak of Jesus in bigger ways. Braaten says in effect, hey lets not forget about verses like For as in Adam all die, so also in Chris t shall all be made alive (1 Cor. 15:22), and For in him (Jesus) all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through hi m to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross (Col. 1:19-20). Braatens point is that these verses dont say that in Christ shall some be made alive or to reconcile to himself a few things. Both verses say all. For me, uncertainty regarding the eternal fate of ones friend doesnt sound like a loving God. Certainty that those outside of the Christian faith or those who dont believe as we do spend eternity apart from God doesnt sound like a God who will go to the greatest extent possible to show his love for the world (Ephesians 2:8 or Romans 8:38-39). We speak of the story of Jesus as gospel, good news, neither of these seem like good news to me. I believe the story of Jesus (and as Luther came to believe it) says that weve got a God who loves us greatly, and wants our consciences to be free of the question whether or not we are loved by God, whether well spend eternity with or without God. I think the story of God sending Jesus is a story about a God who so loved not just a few in a small way, but rather a God who so loved and so loves the world in really big ways. - Patrick

First Lutheran Church Women Spring Luncheon


FLCW is hosting a catered Lunch on Saturday, May 3rd 11:00am! $10.00 a ticket and all proceeds go towards our Cookbooks and other 100th Anniversary expenses. Also Looking for volunteers to decorate a theme table. Please Contact Bette Nilson 894-6510 or 331-0271
APRIL

Sr. / Jr. League News

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24 H UR FAMINE/ Feed My Starving Children April 4th - 5th 2014


Then the king will say to those at his right hand, Come, you that are blessed by my Father...I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me - Matthew 25:34-35
Info packets are on the table in the entrance area. 24 Hour Famine participants begin famine on their own Friday April 4th after they eat lunch. Well meet at church around 4:30pm to begin as a group and leave shortly after to pack meals at the Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack Event in Grand Forks from 6-8pm. The famine And hair started doing weird things... will conclude with lunch on Saturday April 5th at noon. Participants are asked to gather sponsors. There is a sponsor form in the info packet. All funds raised go to Feed My Starving Children.

Thank You
A big thank you to Shane and Natalie Feltman for taking the Jr. League to the Northlands Rescue Mission in GF in March. The league served up 126 plates. Thanks also to all those who prepared the taco meat and fixings. Our next all church scheduled date for serving the evening meal at the mission is Saturday April 12th.

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Good Friday Still Frame Worship... 5th Grade First Communion Classes
Sunday School Volunteer Schedule
April 6 Youth - Jackalyn ,Zach, Adam, Elli, Taylor Adults - Natalie F., Mandy O. April 13 (Art Project)

practice begins Wednesday April 2nd at 7:30pm.

First Communion Classes continue on Wednesday April 2nd and 9th. First Communion is during Maundy Thursday Worship on April 17th.

April 20 Easter Sunday No Sunday School April 27 Youth - Alex, Zach Adults - ?

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN The Jr. & Sr. Leagues will pack meals at the Grand Forks Feed My Starving Children Mobile Pack Event on Friday April 4th from 68pm. There are also volunteer spots for all ages reserved for Sunday April 6th from 9-11am. A sign up is on the bulletin board.

April 1 Charlie Kittelson April 1 Justine Puppe April 1 Ryan Iverson April 2 Maren Olson April 3 Elaine Trana April 3 Chris Rinde April 3 Heather Martinson April 3 Hannah Oberg April 3 Lois Estad April 6 Paige Anderson April 11 Patrick Torbit

Birthdays

April 12 Dale Brubakken April 15 Marlee Hurtt April 15 Mary Hurtt April 16 Calvin Otto April 17 Isaac Oberg April 17 Emilee Reilly April 18 Leta Oberg April20 Ella Kittelson April 21 Alex Braathen April 21 Steven McCollum April 22 Todd Hillier

April 23 Mari Dietrich April 24 Leanne Dahl April 24 Kyle Sveen April 24 Jackalyn McCollum April 25 Ellisha Pastorek April 26 Kristi Hall April 26 Richard Brubakken Jr. April 27 Alex Iverson April 28 Abby Hunter

DAVID & JODI FEDJE TODD & JEANNE HILLIER RON & VICKY BUCHWITZ SHANE & NATALIE FELTMAN

Anniversaries

APRIL 2 APRIL 3 APRIL 17 APRIL 23

APRIL

April 2014
Tue 1
9:30 Bible Study 5:30 First Comm. 6:15 Lent Supper (Jr.) 7:00 Lent 7:30 Good Friday Pract.

Sun 2 3 4

Mon

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat 5

After Lunch - 24 Hour Famine Participants begin on own 4:45pm Jr. & Sr. League leave for GF Feed My Starving Children

6 9:30 Communion 10:30 Sunday School Coffee Fellowship 11:00 The Way
9:30 Prayer Coffee 5:30 First Comm. 6:15 Lent Supper (Sr.) 7:00 Lent Service 7:30 Good Friday Pract.

10

11

12 3pm - Leave for mission in GF 4-6pm - Serve evening meal at Northlands Rescue Mission 18 7pm Good Friday Still Frame Worship 19

13 9:30 Palm Sunday 10:30 Sunday School Coffee/Fellowship 11:00 The Way 22 23 9:30 Prayer Coffee 4:00 Confirmation

14

15

16 9:30 Prayer Coffee 4pm - Confirmation 7pm Good Friday Dress Rehearsal

17 7pm Holy Thursday Worship/First Communion

20 9:30 Easter Worship No Sunday School

21

24

25

26

27 9:30 Worship 10:30 Sunday School Coffee/Fellowship

28

29

30 9:30 Prayer Coffee 4:00 Confirmation


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First Lutheran Church PO Box 110 Hoople, ND 58243

3030 Glendale Avenue 701.894.6404 1luthoop@polarcomm.com www.1luthoop.com


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Lent/Holy Week/Easter Schedule


Wednesday April 2nd - 6:15pm Supper served by Jr. League 7pm Worship Wednesday April 9th - 6:15pm Supper served by Sr. League 7pm Worship Sunday April 13th - 9:30am Palm Sunday Worship Thursday April 17th - 7pm Holy Thursday Worship/5th Grade First Communion Friday April 18th - 7pm Good Friday Still Frame Worship Sunday April 20th - 9:30am Easter Worship

Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. John 20:6-7

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