Sundays, beginning June 10, 6-8 p.m., Easter by the Lake
Cost for the 10 week class is $69 per family (this class in regularly $93).   

Is “Financial Peace” an oxymoron?  Over 1.5 million people who have completed the Financial Peace University class have found a different way of life and are experiencing financial peace.  On Sunday, June 10, a ten week class will begin at Easter by the Lake.  Join this class and change your financial journey.  Classes will be from 6-8 p.m. in the Community Room.  The class is based on resources developed by Dave Ramsey, a powerful and dynamic speaker on money and faith-based success.

Each class will include a DVD presentation by Dave Ramsey and then time for small group discussion.  People taking this class have reduced debt by $5,300 and saved $2,700 in the first 90 days of taking this course!  Move from letting your finances control you to controlling your finances.

Enroll now by contacting the church office or contacting Bill or Joy Korte (651-797-2131).

Free 45-minute Preview Classes
The easiest way to learn about this life-changing class about finances is to attend a Free Preview Class.  You can come to either of these Preview Classes:

Sunday, May 20, 6-7 p.m., Easter by the Lake
Wednesday, May 30, 6-7 p.m., Easter by the Lake

If you are still uncertain, you may come to the first class free on June 10 and decide whether this class is for you.

Listen now…

Acts 17:16-30
¹⁶While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was deeply distressed to see that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷So he argued in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and also in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. ¹⁸Also some Epicurean and Stoic philosophers debated with him. Some said, “What does this babbler want to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign divinities.” (This was because he was telling the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.) ¹⁹So they took him and brought him to the Areopagus and asked him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? ²⁰It sounds rather strange to us, so we would like to know what it means.” ²¹Now all the Athenians and the foreigners living there would spend their time in nothing but telling or hearing something new.

Sunday, May 20, 8:30 and 10 a.m., Easter on the Hill

We conclude Paul’s chapter in the Big Story with a choral service that highlights portions of his letters to the early Christians.

We are looking for 6–8 people to serve during the summer (3-4 times each) to help the Messengers set up for the 
9:30 a.m. outdoor worship service starting on June 3. The time commitment is 7:30–8:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

We are also looking for hosts to help set up for the service, greet people, and hand out bulletins, receive offerings and help with communion. Setup begins at 8:30 a.m. each Sunday during the summer.

Class:

Cabaret Performance:
Friday, June 22, 7 p.m., Easter by the Lake

Middle and High School youth are invited to participate in this performance. The exciting thing about this year is that we will be working on our performances in combination with a week-long intensive program, featuring exciting sessions and guest teachers for song writing, vocalization, movement, etc. We’re looking for musicians and performers of all types (band, choir, dance)! See the Summer Youth Brochure for more details or contact Jason at 651-452-3680 or jason@easter.org.

Vacation Bible School Teen Volunteers
Teens, if you would like to help at VBS this summer get your teen volunteer form in soon! We will accept your form for the June sessions (June 11 – 15) until May 31 and for the July session (July 16-20) until June 30. Spots do fill up, so get your form in early. Teen volunteer registration forms can be found at easter.org (Learn/Summer Activities – roles and covenant form). Please note: June session teen volunteers will need to attend a meeting on Wednesday, June 6 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Easter on the Hill. July volunteers 
will meet on Tuesday, July 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Easter on the Hill.

Vacation Bible School Adult Volunteer Meeting
Wednesday, June 6, 6-7:30 p.m., Easter on the Hill
All adults who will be helping with VBS this summer are invited to attend a meeting on Wednesday, June 6 . Station leaders and assistants will receive their curriculum and learn about the Bible stories we will be telling. Contact Rachelle at 651-452-3680 if you have any questions!

Recyclables Needed for Vacation Bible School
We need paper grocery bags with handles! Please drop them off in the Resource Room at Easter on the Hill by May 15. Questions? Contact Rachelle Gill at 651-452-3680. THANK YOU!

Refrigerator Box Needed!
An empty cardboard refrigerator box is needed for Vacation Bible School!
Contact Rachelle Gill for more details at rgill@easter.org or 651-452-3680.

(Note: to help all Easter people learn the faces of staff and understand what they do, we will profile staff members the next few months)

For the past 24+ years, Kris Henry has been the Director of Music at Easter. She leads worship from the organ/piano, directs the Senior Choir and three handbell choirs and oversees the singing and ringing choirs for Easter’s children. Her favorite part of her job is planning the Sunday worship services on the Hill and writing the choral services that are presented by the Senior Choir and Jubilate Ringers twice a year.

Kris has always wanted to be a church musician. She began studying organ at St. Olaf College while in high school and played for her home church Transfiguration Lutheran in Bloomington, MN. She majored in Church Music (Organ) at St. Olaf College and has a Masters in Sacred Music degree from Southern Methodist University. Prior to coming to Easter, Kris served churches in Faribault, MN (Episcopal), DeSoto, TX (Methodist), and Hopkins, MN (Gethsemane Lutheran).

Music is a big part of the Henry family. Kris’ husband, Bill, a band director at Eastview High School, has always sung bass in Kris’ church choir, and is occasionally heard playing clarinet or jazz piano in worship. Her daughter, Laura, is a professional musician. She plays clarinet with the premier Air Force Band in Washington, DC. Her son, Nathan, put aside his trumpet after his freshman year in college but continues to play a mean piano when he isn’t designing the next submarine for General Dynamics-Electric Boat in Groton, CT.

When Kris isn’t playing organ on Sunday morning, she is either visiting her children on the East coast or exploring some part of the world she hasn’t seen. Nathan’s wedding and Alaska are on the docket for this summer!

From the creation account in Genesis, through the Old Testament, to the incarnation of Jesus, and the spreading of the Gospel after Jesus’ death and resurrection, we will discover some of the greatest stories of the Bible, and how it all fits together: The Big Story.

There will be many ways to connect to The Big Story!

In Weekly Bible Studies
Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m. at Easter by the Lake, led by pastors.  This weekly study will complement the weekly worship focus.  A study guide will be available at either site.  You can also download a smaller-scale version of the weekly study guides below (if you prefer the larger-format  version, contact Cindy Wilson at cwilson@easter.org and one will be set aside at church for you):

May 13:  Jerusalem Council
May 6: Peter’s Vision
April 29: Paul and Ananias
April 22:  Stephen
April 15:  Doubting Thomas
April 8: The Resurrection
April 1: Triumphal Entry
March 25: Healing the Man Born Blind
March 18:  Bondage to Sin
March 11:  Woman Caught in Adultery
March 4:  Feeding the Five Thousand
February 26:  Healing at Bethesda
February 19:  Healing the Official’s Son
February 12:  Woman at the Well
February 5:  Nicodemus
January 29: Jesus Goes to Nazareth
January 22: Wedding at Cana
January 15: Calling the Disciples
January 8:  John the Baptist
January 1:  Word Made Flesh
December 25:  Jesus the Christ
December 18:  Micah
December 11:  Ezekiel
December 4:  Jeremiah
November 27:  Isaiah
November 20:  Elijah and Ahab
November 13:  Solomon
November 6:  David
October 30:  Deborah
October 23:  Wilderness
October 16:  Covenant & Law
October 9:  Moses & the Exodus
October 2: Joseph
September 25:  Jacob
September 18:  Abraham and Sarah
September 11:  The Creation Account 

In Church School
Let’s create our own BIG STORY book!  Every week Church school kids will add a story page of the Bible story presented that week.  By the end of the church school year you will have a story Bible that you created!  We start in the Old Testament with Abram’s Call and end with the story of Lydia in the New Testament.  Join us every week to get a new page in YOUR story Bible.

In Weekly Worship
Each week, a series of questions are included in the worship bulletin that ask deeper questions and get the family talking and thinking about the topic from that week.  Here are the questions for each week, in a 2-up format so that you could share with a friend!

May 20:  Paul in Athens
May 13: Jerusalem Council
May 6:  Peter’s Vision
April 29: Paul and Ananias
April 22: Stephen
April 15: Doubting Thomas
April 8: The Resurrection
April 1: Triumphal Entry
March 25: Healing the Man Born Blind
March 18: Bondage to Sin
March 11:  Woman Caught in Adultery
March 4: Feeding the Five Thousand
February 26:  Healing at Bethesda
February 19:  Healing the Official’s Son
February 12:  Woman at the Well
February 5:  Nicodemus
January 29: Jesus Goes to Nazareth
January 22:  Wedding at Cana
January 15:  The Disciples
January 8:  John the Baptist
January 1:  Word Made Flesh
December 18:  Micah
December 11:  Ezekiel
December 4:  Jeremiah
November 27:  Isaiah
November 20:  Elijah and Ahab
November 13:  Solomon
November 6:  All Saints Sunday (note that this differs from The Big Story narrative)
October 30:  Reformation (note that this differs from The Big Story narrative)
October 23:  Wilderness 
October 16:  Stone Tablets
October 9:  God delivers
October 2:  Techni-colored grace 
September 25:  Jacob’s dream
September 18  You will be blessed
September 11:  In the beginning

In Chick Talk
Mondays, Oct. 3, Dec. 5, Feb. 6, April 16
Thursdays, Oct. 6, Dec. 8, Feb. 9, April 19
Four times during the year, either Pastor Kris or Pastor Sarah will help dig into The Big Story texts being preached at that time.  Bring your questions and thoughts to discuss with the pastors and other Chicks.

In Small Groups
Looking for something new this year?  Here’s an idea…we have prepared small group materials that coordinate with the Big Story sermon series!  Each booklet (pick them up at either information center) contains the texts from each week, and offers discussion questions for your group.  If your small group is just starting up, it couldn’t be any easier…just follow the Big Story study guide!  Small Group signups begin on September 4.  Pick up a form at either site or download a version below.  Questions?  Contact Mary Kay DuChene at marykay@easter.org.

February-April (Lent) Small Group Guide
December-February Small Group Guide
September-November Small Group Guide