Encore!
Encore! is the name of an exciting new ministry at Easter Church with and through adults age 50+.
What’s in the name? When a concert or performance ends and we stand to cheer and applaud, we are asking for an encore. The audience is saying, “please come out and give us more.” Similarly, adults 50+, entering a new stage in life, and those in their pre-retirement or retirement years, have the opportunity to come on stage and give more of their time and talents to further God’s work at Easter Church.
What’s the vision? The vision for Encore! is: “to provide opportunities for adults to serve, learn and gather throughout all seasons of life.” See more about the background of Encore!
The Encore! Task Force is a group of 12-15 men and women who meet quarterly to guide and direct the Encore! ministry. Each member also participates on a team (Serve, Learn or Gather). Events are planned by each team and reviewed by the Task Force. Members of the Task Force serve rotating 2-year terms. Completing a two-year term this spring are Gaylon Bratland, Dorie Erickson, Roger Fredlund, Phil Friest, Sylvia Hammer and Eldon Olson. A big thank you for your service and for helping make Encore! a successful and important ministry at Easter. Joining the 2013-2014 Task Force are Kathy Bahrke, Sandy Erickson, Kathy Malloy and Richard Tester. They join continuing members Carolyn Bratland, Karen Capel, Judy Englund, Cindy & Dave Woodward and Kathie Poppen.
Upcoming Encore! Happenings:
Feed My Starving Children
Wednesdays, May 8, June 12, July 10, August 14, September 11
9:30-11:30 a.m.
990 Lone Oak Road, Suite 160, Eagan
Hand-pack meals specifically formulated for malnourished children that are shipped to nearly 70 countries around the world. To sign up for one or more of the above dates, call Rita Tester at 651-452-3680, or email ritatest@aol.com. This is a great summer family activity. Children as young as 5 are welcome to attend with an adult.
Gray Line City Tour
Friday, May 17, 9:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. See Minneapolis and St. Paul’s historic beauty aboard a luxury air-conditioned coach, through the cities oldest and most exclusive neighborhoods. Learn about historic Fort Snelling, stop at Landmark Center, see the State Capitol, St. Paul Cathedral, Summit Avenue historic homes, and many more sights. Meet at church at 8:30 a.m. to car pool or at the north entrance of the Mall of America on Lindau Lane at 9:15 a.m. Bring a beverage and a bag lunch. Cost is $33. RSVP by May 1 to Cindy Woodward at 651-681-1578 or Judy Englund, 651-687-0910.
Easter Church Picnic
Wednesday, June 12, 5-7 p.m.
Join Encore! at this annual church event. Look for tables marked “Encore!” Meet new friends and learn more about the Encore! ministry and events planned for this summer.
OWLs (Older Wiser Lutherans) Gatherings as follows:
Thursday, June 13, Anna Carlson’s Gardens, Meet at Anna Carlson’s house, 1255 Wilderness Run Rd, at 11 a. m.
Lunch: Pot Luck Lunch
Host: Anna Carlson
Flowers and fellowship; Views from trip to Germany
Summer Golf
June 13, July 11, August 8 and September 12 (2nd Thursday of the month), 11:00 a.m.
Rich Valley Golf Club, 3855 145th St. E., Rosemount
Sign up by contacting Bill Korte at billkorte@q.com or 651-366-1409
Caponi Art Park – Theater in the Woods outdoor amphitheater
Sun., July 14, 6:30 p.m., 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan
Meet at the park and enjoy a performance by the Dakota Valley Summer Pops Orchestra and Chorale. Bring lawn chairs or a blanket to spread on the grassy slopes for an enjoyable evening at the Art Park. Golf carts are available to transport guests with mobility issues. Admission is free with a $5 per person suggested donation to support the program. Call Judy Englund, 651-687-0910, if you have questions or need transportation to the park.
Minnesota History Center: Faith and Freedom in the Civil War
Saturday, August 3, 10 a.m., 345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul
Cost to be determined; checks to Easter Lutheran with Minnesota History Center on the memo line
Register by July 21 by calling the church office at 651-452-3680.
In July of 1863 the Union and Confederate armies met on the battlefield at Gettysburg, PA. Overnight, the fighting transformed Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg into a battlefield and field hospital for both sides. War came in a bloody rush to a place of peaceful study, making Gettysburg Seminary a historic crossroads of duty and devotion, conflict and compassion. This presentation explores how the religious foment, innovation and change of the 19th century influenced our thinking about moral issues of war and slavery, and how the Americans who met at Gettysburg grappled not only with life and death, but with divergent ideas of faith and freedom that would shape the nation’s future. After the presentation, explore the History Center and have lunch in the cafeteria. Meet at Easter on the Hill at 9 a.m. to carpool.
“The Nature of Photography”
Wednesday, August 21, 6:30 p.m., Fireside Commons at Easter on the Hill
Jim Radford is an outdoor photographer of wildlife and landscapes. His work will be on display in Fireside Commons, mid-July-early Sept. After retiring from 30 years in marketing at 3M, Jim’s passion turned to nature photography in 2005 as he traveled to America’s national parks, Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, Minnesota and the Southwest. His presentation demonstrates the variety of his outdoor experiences, how it has impacted his life as a Christian and his approach to recording the beauty of nature. Dessert and beverages will be served.
Save the Date: Encore! Fall Retreat, Sept. 26, 2013, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mt. Olivet Retreat Center, Farmington.
