Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN: Recent Episodes
None
Throughout the evening students will have the opportunity to participate in some formal dances in the gym. We will have a professional instructor to teach them the dance along with proper dance etiquette. Refreshments and snacks will be served in the fellowship hall during breaks.
Students will be given a dance card when they arrive and will be matched up with someone for each of the dances. This ensures everyone who wishes to participate will have an assigned partner.
For those students who would prefer not to dance the fellowship hall will be a Christmas theme party where they can enjoy a variety of activities such as Christmas crafts, board games, refreshments, snacks, a Christmas movie and other activities.
Small Group Leaders will be present and participating in the evening with the students.
Evening Schedule:* 6:30pm Arrive, register * 7:00pm Dance starts – Waltz * 7:30pm Break * 7:35pm Line Dance * 8:00pm Break * 8:05pm East Coast Swing * 8:35pm Break * 8:40pm 2nd Line Dance * 9:05pm Break * 9:10pm Large Group Dance * 9:30pm Clean Up * 10:00pm Wrap up the evening The post Winter Ball appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Praise God for the 42 students who attended the IV fall conference. Pray that they will be bold in sharing their faith and that they will continue to grow in the Lord. Pray for Elie that he will not waver in his convictions and for reliance on God as he faces spiritual battles that manifest in many distractions and feelings of loneliness and inadequacy.
The post Elie Kayobe appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post Gift Discovery: Fan the Flame Follow-Up appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Melissa MeyersPsalm 34:8 —Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
As the verdant leaves of summer, crisp and color, some to vibrant hues of flaming orange and golden yellow, others to the shade of the earth, they remind us that the season of harvest and thanksgiving is coming. King David reminds us, in the book of Psalms, many of us are currently doing a deep dive into, that we should take time to taste and discover the goodness of God.
Often life can seem heavy and the challenges ahead of us, confusing or difficult to navigate, yet all around us God has blessed us with good things, small and great. Sometimes these blessings come in the form of giving and receiving. This month Dianne Orth shares with us the gift of hospitality that she and Larry have shown by receiving numerous guests into their home over the years. For them, it has been an act of giving, but it has also been an act of receiving the unexpected blessings of friendships that have formed over daily chats or sharing a meal.
Being in a small group that breaks bread together is important, and Katie Yager’s article shares how her small group has made fellowship over a meal an intricate part of their group life, modeling the early church in the book of Acts. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. (Acts 2:42-47.)
If you are looking for a recipe to share or ideas for hosting, Melissa Skogan has a delicious Pumpkin muffin recipe you’ll want to bless others with, and Jill Pearson will inspire you to pull out those cookbooks to cook up a feast, which of course is best shared with others. Andrea Koch will make you smile with her humorous article on the ups and downs of sourdough bread baking.
Shifting gears, as we feel the weather change around us, the cold brings sometimes a sense of loss, as the life-giving warmth gives way to darker days and a barren landscape. Perhaps, the change reflects the perfect month to acknowledge that October is also infant and pregnancy loss month. We are grateful to Carol Siverling and her willingness to share her story, and we hope it encourages others who have faced this—you are not alone, and the second half of Psalm 34:8 is particularly poignant during such a time, blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
I hope you enjoy the cool crisp days ahead and relish the goodness of God that he has given us during this time of thanksgiving and harvest that we are now in.
Melissa Meyers is co-editor of The Stir, wife to John, and mother to Malcolm (18) and Emily (15). She is a Neonatal Nurse and Creative Writer. She is the author of, Beneath the Ancient Dust: Inspirational Stories from Nine Years in Afghanistan and Mrs. Beaumont and the Christmas Calendar. Her hobbies are coffee, reading, and taking long walks. She will accept an invitation out for coffee anytime.
The post October welcome: taste and see appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Katie YagerOne of my favorite nights of the week is Friday night. Not only is it the beginning of the weekend, but it is also the night our Shepherding Group meets. We have been in this group for the past 8 years. Over the years, these people have become dear friends and our “chosen” family! One of the things that makes our Shepherding Group so special is that we share a meal together. We take turns hosting, and whoever is hosting makes the main meal, and another couple brings sides/dessert. Sometimes it is a fancy meal with cloth napkins, and five courses, other times it is pizza on paper plates. The truth is, it does not matter what is on the plate. Sure, delicious food is ALWAYS appreciated, but it is the conversation, and care and thought that went into the meal, that makes our night so special.
The dinner conversation is full of questions like, “How was your week? How was the thing you were worried about last week going? Why is it so hard to teach my child to drive? Tell me more about your new job!” You get the idea. We converse, laugh, and even shed a tear or two over a meal. It is a wonderful time of being seen and known by people you trust and love.
Now on to the care of the meal. If someone has a birthday, it’s time to enjoy their favorite dessert! Cilantro tastes like soap to some of us (not me, I love it), cilantro will be put on the side. Coconut shreds makes someone gag (it’s me), no coconut in the dessert. We show our friends we care about them by what we serve. One of my favorite birthday dessert surprises was a Baked Alaska! That’s right, the amazing dessert you would see on the British Bake Off! The hosts of our Shepherding Group that night made it for me! I felt like the Queen of England! You see I have a Dec. 23rd birthday. I have never had a friend birthday party because…you guessed it, Baby Jesus’s birth is celebrated around the same time. I was so shocked by their kindness in remembering my birthday, let alone spending the day making me a delicious Baked Alaska, I cried. It was just so thoughtful!
I am told that this Shepherding Group we joined started doing meals every time they met after reading the book “Meal With Jesus” by Tim Chester. I am so glad they did!
Love this tradition, and the fellowship that takes place around the table. I would encourage you to first join a Shepherding Group, and then share a meal together. You will be blessed!
“And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,” Acts 2:46
Katie, married to Travis for 19 years, has 3 children Elise, Ian, and Maisie. Travis & Katie have owned Chocolaterie Stam for 16 years in Downtown Rochester. When Katie is not driving her children all around Rochester, she likes to read, watch The Great British Baking Show, participate in Fantasy Football, and hang out with her family. They have been attending Calvary for over 2 years.
The post Breaking bread together appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Dianne OrthHebrews 13:2 Don’t forget to give hospitality to strangers for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
Some might think I have a case of hospitality on steroids, as each month it’s not uncommon for a handful of people to come through our revolving front door.
When we designed our house for our blended family, we put our master bedroom and a guest room on the main floor and cornered off the basement with rooms for our kids. As our kids were growing up, they experienced “strangers” in their home who came to visit the clinic, but also hosted exchange students from Switzerland, China, and South Korea – mission trips in our own home! One by one, the kids left the nest, so that meant we had more spare rooms.
Guests come to us by word of mouth, often through the church family. Stays are typically 1-3 nights while folks do what they need to do in the Med City, usually under a time of uncertainty and stress related to health, time away from work, and travel expenses that add up quickly, especially if they had to pay for a hotel.
When we host, we are just doing real life and we usually have an evening meal, so if we know the guests will be around, we might have them join us. If we have plans to be out, we let them know they are on their own, and they either get takeout or cook in the kitchenette that we converted from office space in our basement. This has been a tremendous asset to hosting people longer term and making them feel comfortable to do their own thing.
Sometimes we host people with non-medical needs. This summer two young women roomed on one side of the basement — a Baylor University student who did an internship at Mayo and a grad student from the Cities who completed her internship at Active Physical Therapy. On the other half of the basement, there was a family of four who had returned to Minnesota on furlough after serving in the field in Turkey. Hosting was easy, as all were friendly and self-sufficient.
Blessings of hosting:
Hosting is a great blessing! God gave us our house, and it is God’s to use as He sees fit to glorify Him! We tried down-sizing in 2012 and had our house on the market for 52 days, with no interest. Shortly after, we heard of a new Schaeffer teacher and his family who needed a place to stay before they could move into their house, so it seemed we were supposed to stay.
Hosts and guests experience the beauty of the Body of Christ, meeting people from around the country, encouraging one another, demonstrating God’s provision and being able to give someone shelter and a “cup of cold water” as they come to the Med City for their often very serious needs. Hosts gain many sweet friends through the years as people come one or many times. I get texts from one who offers to pray for me! Hosting for Children’s Heart Project over the years is hosting to a different degree—much to coordinate, but even greater blessings. Guests have been a blessing to us – helping us figure out techy things with our phones, computers, or tv! We hear so many faith-building stories – it’s like a mission trip without leaving home1
There is a season for everything. For us, this is the season that by the Lord’s grace and provision, we’ve been able to show hospitality. As we bless others, the Lord blesses us. We go about our own schedule, but cross paths with our short- and longer-term guests, encouraging each other daily, perhaps over a cup of coffee or a shared meal.
As others at Calvary express interest in serving this way, they are invited to join what we call the Rochester Christian Hospitality Network (RCHN). A Guest Information Form is filled out to understand if they have a vehicle, can do stairs, and if pets are ok in the home so an appropriate host can volunteer. If you’re interested, contact me!
RCHN stats for this past year:
Last year, Rochester Christian Hospitality Network met the housing needs of 94 mostly Mayo guests, providing 607 nights of free stay and Children’s Heart Project hosted eight Bolivian guests for 6 weeks as three children received crucial heart surgeries.
Dianne (Mimi) is married to Pastor Larry (Poppa). Their 4 kids live in Minnesota, California, and Washington with their 11 grandchildren. She hosts women’s Monday evening Bible study, coordinates the Rochester Christian Hospitality Network and Children’s Heart Project home stays, and is a GI nurse at Mayo.
The post Open door, open hearts appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Carol SiverlingMy early childhood was spent in Minneapolis. We lived three houses away from school, and as kids we played in the park. We moved to Bloomington when I entered 4th grade. I was a busy kid, rode horses in Shakopee, took gymnastic and dance lessons. In 9th grade, I joined the Bloomingtons Dance line. My senior year we danced for the Vikings. We went to Emmaus Church and took part in several activities.
Rick and his baby sister, AliciaI met my future husband in my senior year of high school. Mike was in college, studying computer science. We dated for three years before we got engaged. Mike was a Catholic, and before we got married, I went to classes and became a member of the Catholic Church.
Shortly after we were married we moved to Rochester. Mike was working for IBM. We went to Pax Christi Church where Mike sang in the choir and I taught children classes. We now wanted our first child. We were expecting our first child three years after we were married. I had a miscarriage at 3 months. We were devastated.
We waited a year and got pregnant again. The first 3 months I prayed every day and night. Our son Rick was born early, but healthy. We were thrilled. Rick was baptized in the Catholic Church and grew up with friends there. We waited until Rick was two before we decided to have another child.
The first pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 3 months. It was a difficult time. Again we tried a year later and again we suffered another miscarriage. My faith at that time was being tested. Rick was in school at this time. We tried again for another child. We had lost 4 babies and I held my breath, until my third month and again we lost this baby. The clinic told us we should not try again.
Rick and Alicia at her weddingI really didn’t understand why this kept happening and there were times when I was angry with God. I spent my days with Cub Scouts and school and church activities. Shortly after Rick’s 10th birthday I ended the emergency room. We went by ambulance. I experienced a tubal pregnancy and the right fallopian tube had ruptured. Emergency surgery and the surgeons removed the tube, my appendix, and my gall bladder. We were then told we would never have another child.
For me I was angry and upset with God. It took me a while, but I worked through it. I went back to college and started my nursing degree. I was busy with school and Rick when I realized something was wrong. So in the middle of finals I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. I called my doctor, and saw him the next day. I was almost 4 months along.
Needless to say, the clinic watched us very closely. We made it. Rick had just turned 14 and he was thrilled. In shop class, he made the baby a lamp. Alicia was born 9 days after his birthday. She was a perfect baby and weighed in at 6lbs and 3 ounces. I thanked God all the time I was waiting for her. He definitely decided when and how He would answer my prayers. The clinic never had answer as to how this happened. I do. I now have two beautiful granddaughters, Gracie and Rose.
Carol Siverling keeps busy knitting, crocheting, painting and walking her little dog. At Calvary, she participates in Renovare’s Prayer and Care, the Joy group, the Singles group, and on Sundays, the Reflections group at 9:30. This fall, her daughter and granddaughters are going to start crocheting together one Saturday a month.
The post Infant and pregnancy loss awareness month: Carol’s story appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
By Andrea KochOh sourdough…
I heard one time on a baking show (not sure which one) that if you are a baker, you are typically obsessed with bread. And I think I fully gave myself over to that obsession when I went on my sourdough adventure.
When I get asked about the process of sourdough, I feel like I sound like a crazy baking scientist lady. The art of sourdough is basically catching wild yeast (or bacteria, lactobacillus to be exact) by using water and flour. This mixture, when it is healthy and active, will typically double or triple in size after 6-12 hours depending on several variables, some uncontrollable. This mixture is then used as your leavening for several bread recipes, in other words, it replaces the store-bought commercial yeast.
I could go into all the health benefits due to the long fermentation process (20hrs) and how it’s easier for our guts to digest because most of the gluten has been consumed by the wild yeast, or how it lowers the glycemic index of the meal you eat it with, but that’s not why I love making it.
I started my first sourdough journey a couple of years before the pandemic. One of the surgeons I worked with, who is also obsessed with baking, gave me some of his “mother” (the water/flour mixture fermented by wild yeast). I just used this to make dumplings, waffles, and pancakes. I never had the courage or the patience to make rustic sourdough loaves. I kept this “mother” alive (through a feeding process) for maybe a year then just gave up and threw it away.
Then last year around Thanksgiving I was seeing all these beautiful sourdough loaves on Instagram (thank-you algorithms) and decided I was going to do it. I started my own “mother”, or as I call it Herman, and it took a long time to get my wild yeast happy because of how cold it is. Because remember yeast likes it warm and grows best that way. Throughout this journey I had a lot of failed attempts, flat bread, gummy bread, scorched bread…you name the failure, and I did that. I had to readjust my feeding ratios, what I used to feed it, and adjust my times during the seasons (summer is Herman’s happiest time).
Chocolate sourdoughWhen I finally got my first successful loaf, which was in the middle of winter and it took forever because my husband likes the thermostat at 68, I was so thrilled. Then summer came and Herman was like that ADHD kid who had been couped up in the classroom for 8hrs and exploded out the doors to run wild. I found myself having to adjust everything all over, my timing, the amount of water I used, and the amount of Herman needed in my basic recipe.
It has been a journey of ups and downs, giving myself grace and time, and learning to be flexible and try new methods to achieve a beautiful, tasty loaf. I also learned that even if the loaf doesn’t get that beautiful rise and open airy crumb, it still tastes good and can be used. The journey is what I love and obviously eating it.
Hi, I am Andrea Koch, mother to two teenage girls (one about to fly the coop) and wife to Joel for 22yrs. I am a nurse, baker, quilter, knitter, and crocheter…let’s just be honest, I am a 90 year old trapped in a 40 something-year-old’s body with not enough time to do it all!
The post For the love of sourdough appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Pornography. Most of us don’t want to think about it, much less talk about it.
Pornography is a billion dollar industry and a national epidemic seeping into our homes, and taking people captive. In the battle against porn, instead of hiding, faith-filled women must engage this issue head-on, armed with a right understanding of biblical truth and their roles as wives, mothers and friends. With God’s help and a battle plan in hand, people can face the darkness and emerge victorious, taking back their freedom, marriages and families.
This book provides a baseline of knowledge for all women, whether personally affected by pornography use or not. Above all, Fight for Love is a book about inspiring women to trust in God, pick up their swords, and go fight for their marriages, families and friends under His authority and through His strength, by obeying His Word. We all have a relative, friend or neighbor who can use this help.
The post Fight for Love appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Date Night is an opportunity for you and your spouse to spend quality time together with childcare on us. As part of our 6-week series on marriage we want to provide this time for you and your spouse to focus on your marriage. After dropping of your child(ren) for childcare, join Pastor Kyle in the sanctuary for a brief instruction before heading out to a restaurant of your choice. If the September date does not work for your schedule, there will be another opportunity on October 12.
The post Date Night appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Jill PearsonAs I watched the gold medalists step onto the podiums in this year’s summer Olympics in Paris, watched them raise their metals, sing their anthems, and cry their tears of joy, I imagined their long arduous journeys of sacrifice, sweat, and determination. Truly inspiring! Yet how much more precious than gold is God’s word in our lives? Ponder for a moment Psalm 19: 7-11…
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
and drippings of the honeycomb.
That’s how we can think of our encounters with the Word of God. Finer than gold and sweeter than honey.
Did you know that Jewish children historically began their study of the alphabet with a special tradition? Honey was placed on the slate, and the children licked it off to remind them that the study of the Torah is sweeter than honey.
This fall, as we return to routines often lost in the summer, may we dedicate ourselves to meditating on God’s word and treating it as honey dripping from the comb and as our own gleaming gold medal, hard-earned by the sacrifice of Christ.
The editors at The Stir had these thoughts in mind as we invited women to share testimonies, special scriptures, and invitations to study God’s Word. You can read testimonies from Joan Brandenburg and Suzanne Jones, get to know Jean Bushre and Jan Schwingler in Faces of Calvary, and learn more about our women’s morning and evening Bible study, Renovaré, from Stephanie Conkright. Robin Kaufman shares about her deep dive into the Psalms, and Rachel Sviggim recommends a timely book. Finally, you won’t want to miss the honey-forward recipe shared by Sandy Schad of the Bee Shed!
May your September be full of God’s goodness and blessings!
The post September welcome: finer than gold and sweeter than honey appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Suzanne JonesI remember the moment I first had back pain. It was a beautiful spring day, and I was playing hide-and-seek with one of my special education students I was assigned to. I turned slightly and felt my back seize up. Two years after that moment involved multiple injections, therapies, nerve ablations, and imaging. I finally had a referral to a neurosurgeon. I had a multitude of things going on in my lower spine/pelvis. The doctors guessed that the issues might have started with possible slight fracture years ago and as I aged, arthritis and the beginning of osteoporosis helped to wreak havoc. I had completely lost a disc, and some of the fractured pieces were poking into one of my joints. There was also inflammation in the bones in this area. In addition, they discovered my sacroiliac joints (SI) were also compromised by arthritis.
June 12, 2023, I had two surgeries in one to finally repair my back. It lasted about 9 hours, and I was in the hospital for a week. An SI surgeon fused my SI joints with screws. Then the neurosurgeon spent the rest of the surgery fusing my vertebrae from L4-S1, removing a lot of the disintegrating and inflamed bones, adding a metal disc and securing my spine into my pelvis with more screws. It took me 3 months to be able to walk and it was a few wobbly steps at a time with a walker. The day I could make it up the stairs by myself was joyous! I had just graduated from using a cane to walking on my own when the next school year was ready to begin. I struggled still with stamina and my gait. I am at awe of physical therapists and what they have helped me accomplish this past year. They still are finding ways to help me improve to become stronger, to prevent further surgery, and to ease ongoing muscle and nerve pain.
When I was asked to write this article, my first thought was, “Absolutely not! I don’t feel on fire for God right now. How would I be encouraging at all?” I see people raising their hands in worship in church and I miss feeling like that. I have been taking the time this summer to dig deeper into why I’m not filled with joy. I have begun to mentally process last year. I realized that my recovery was rushed, and my school year was incredibly busy with having a senior in high school graduating. Out of curiosity, I googled spiritual depression. Interestingly, an article from Medical News Today from 12/6/23 popped up. Cecilia Effa writes, “Spiritual depression refers to feelings of sadness, a loss of joy, and a disconnect from spirituality, religion, or God…it may involve feeling like there is a loss of faith or connection to God, having less time or inclination toward religious or spiritual study.” I began to understand why I’m feeling a bit low spiritually. My life has been an incredibly stressful whirlwind where I’ve been just trying to keep my head above water. I think it is absolutely natural in these times to feel less connected to God. I’m realizing that it is the enemy that makes us compare ourselves to others. We may feel guilty and feel “less of a Christian” when we do.
I began to honestly talk to God more recently. I told Him that I felt guilty that I am not feeling passionately on fire for him and I want to be again. After all, He has greatly healed me and brought me through some very dark nights. He also has helped me to realize that I often felt safer thinking that I am in control of my life, not God. It is a current battle to continually let go of things and give them to him. A friend gave me a prayer that I love that I can use when I catch myself trying to be the leader, “Father, please help me to match your stride, to feel your strength working in me, through me, beside me. Please don’t let me waste my energy by trying to do things in my own strength.” I am learning that continued prayer and communication with God is the key to maintaining and strengthening our spirituality.
I am reading an incredible book this summer by Jennie Allen, Untangle Your Emotions. She writes, “A relationship with God—it changes everything. He untangles the chaotic knots in our souls—but probably not in the way that we expected and maybe not in the way we learned, which was to pretend that they aren’t there and tell ourselves that everything’s okay and chastise ourselves because if we just believed God enough, we wouldn’t be so sad or worried. He untangles the knots through seasons of tears and raw honesty and running again and again back to Him . . .because He cares for us. He wants all of us. He wants to know it all. So, we choose to notice and name and feel and share—and in every step along that path, we invite Jesus into it. We tell Him all of it…”
I have learned that we can’t dictate to God how healing should occur or when/if it will occur. I know that Jesus is compassionate and is with us through the pain. Jesus has experienced the worst imaginable pain himself and has great compassion for the sick and hurting. I also find peace in knowing that our bodies are not perfect here on earth but someday they will be. In His timing and in His way, He will give you the strength when you need it. You just need to continuously run to Him. He is our rock, and His word is our source of hope and direction. I will hold in my heart Psalm 130:5, “I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” I will choose to put my hope in him because I know deep down that He is my backbone.
Suzanne Jones is new to Calvary this past year. She is eager to get plugged in and meet others. She is a co-owner and teacher at an in-home preschool in NW Rochester, Hilltop Beginnings Preschool. She previously worked in the Rochester school district and at Kingdom Kids Preschool. Before that she was a freelance writer for 10 years and worked at Mayo Clinic as an editorial assistant. She has two children: Mikayla (21) and Elyana (18). Her niece, who is 20 years old, also resides with her and attends college. She and her husband, Nate, just celebrated their 25th-year anniversary. They will be transitioning to become “empty nesters” this fall.
The post Testimony: feeling distant from God appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Joan BrandenburgPRAISE is the word I chose for 2024, a sold out, crowd cheering voice of Praise to the only One worthy of my Praise!
Psalm 145
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
Growing up as a pastor’s kid in a solid evangelical denomination, you would think the journey of my siblings and me would have been one of walking closely with our Heavenly Father, but that was not our experience. Our parents were loving and kind, but our home life was so very strict and protective and God seemed stern and out of reach. As we grew up, our mother told us we could lose our salvation. All three of us siblings were adults before we heard and understood the truth of scripture freeing us to choose God’s wonderful salvation of grace. As siblings we have always been close, and years later we chose to take what was good and positive regarding our upbringing and move forward in our walk with Jesus.
At age 23, I graduated nursing school and infrequently attended various churches. I was still living and doing what was right in my own eyes trying to be morally good, but I felt empty and guilty.
At age 24, after several “almost” encounters through the years, I met Eric at a party on the University of Minnesota campus. He was so morally good that I thought he might be a believer. After all, he was raised in the Presbyterian church. Ha! One month after dating, Eric proposed and I accepted even though I was scared out of my wits. He was calm and fun and he pretty much matched my guy list. We were married by my dad six months after we met.
We moved to Ames, IA, so Eric could complete his degree at Iowa State, and I worked at the small hospital there. It was during this time that I felt God drawing me to Him. My parents shared years later that they along with the entire church were praying for us. We began to occasionally attend different churches, and it was after a visitation team visited our home that my heart felt open to fully believing in Jesus. One day while Eric was attending classes, I gave my entire self to our Lord Jesus. I didn’t share my decision with Eric, but quietly began praying for him. At the time, he wasn’t into being close to God.
Upon graduating, we moved back to Minneapolis to work, and there God put people across our path to further His work in our lives. We started attending an independent Baptist church down the street where Eric said he finally and clearly heard the gospel for the first time. At age 26, he fully accepted Christ as his Savior. Following this we were baptized together. I realized God’s timing was perfect, I could fully trust Him, and that He would never cancel or cause me to lose my salvation.
Eric was transferred to Kansas City in 1977 and after being married for nine years, our sweet daughter was born. Due to how I grew up and my late time of salvation, I gave our daughter completely over to our Lord Jesus praying that she would choose to believe and accept Jesus at a much earlier age than I did. Praying for those we know is so important. At age three, our daughter asked for help to know Jesus as her Savior. After asking her questions to be sure she understood, Eric prayed with her to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior. She loves and walks with Jesus to this day. I cannot emphasize enough that we can trust our Father as we pray!
In 2016, we moved to Rochester to be near our daughter and four grandchildren. We enjoy being part of this Calvary family, and as grandparents we pray for our grandchildren every day that they too will know and love our Savior beyond measure.
I have never selected a life verse as there are so many verses that are precious to me. The following verses are especially meaningful to me:
Psalm 37:23-24 (NLT)
23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.
24 Though they stumble, they will never fall,
for the Lord holds them by the hand.
John 10:27-30 (ESV)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
Psalm 145: 18-19 (NLT)
18 The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He grants the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
Joan Brandenburg, wife to Eric (her bestie for 52 years), mom to one lovely adult daughter, grandma to four fun active grandchildren, quilter, lover of God’s outdoors, gardener so she can play in the dirt, is part of our Calvary Coffee Connection team and whatever needs to be done behind the scenes.
The post Testimony: living a life of praise appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Robin KaufmannWhen they were younger, each of my children had a song. I’m not sure how I assigned each song to each child, but the lyrics of each suited the child who heard them most often. Sophie, for example, my youngest, was my sunshine:
“You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
You make me happy, when skies are gray.” (1)
My dear girl heard “You are My Sunshine” since infancy, and it became a language that was understood between us. Most often, I sang Sophie’s song to her while I cuddled her. Occasionally, I even sang the first few notes when she was less-than-cuddly (read: crabby), and my song would bring a (reluctant) smile to her face. Now, mind you, I’m not much of a singer, so maybe Sophie smiled because my singing is so terribly funny, but I’d rather believe the song pulled her out of even her crabbiest moments.
By the time my oldest child reached his teen years, on the other hand, Gabe wished I wouldn’t sing to him anymore, but I usually did so when I was imploring him to drive safely. Gabe was my “Sonny Boy,” so I’d sing despite his protests:
“You’ve no way of knowing
There’s no way of showing
What you mean to me Sonny Boy.” (2)
Then, there was my elegant, amiable Ella, my middle child. She’s always been “My Girl”:
“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May. . .
What can make me feel this way? My girl.” (3)
Ella was cheerful and kind, and there are still few I’d rather spend time with than my “lovely month of May.”
Typing the words of those songs that were so familiar in our family still brings a lump to my throat. They were words to communicate the deep, abiding, unconditional love I had for my children. Every now and then, I think the message got through to them. Now that my kids are young adults, I get a hint on occasion that those familiar songs make them remember how very much they are loved.
We all need to be reminded that we are loved. That surely has been my need of late.
It has been a difficult past 15 months in my life, a period in which I and others I love have experienced all manner of loss and suffering. Death, divorce, disease…these are some of the heartaches that have touched me and my immediate circle of family and friends. Oh my, the pain is raw and real and. . . painful. . .like pain tends to be. Life has hurt and left some of us crabby. . . less-than-cuddly, even.
Actually, “crabby” would be a step up. Discouraged. Devastated. Despairing. That’s more like it.
I and my people have needed a song.
I realized this when, late one night, one of my sisters called from the depth of loneliness for my mom, who had passed unexpectedly a few months before. As she wept, I cried with her, then, with nothing else to offer, I opened my Bible and began to read her a song.
One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter
in the day of trouble;
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
he will lift me high upon a rock.[…]
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
Psalm 27
“Yes,” my sister whispered, “Praise Jesus.”
I don’t know why I was stunned by her response. My sister is a new Christian, but even so, her tears, subjected to the Word of God, were turned to praise in the darkest of nights. The psalm gave her something to grab onto…a certainty …a truth that transcended the devastation that gripped us both. King David’s ancient song, an expression of comfort in the face of his own pain, found its way 3000 years later into my sister’s heart, where it directed her mind––and then mine––to praise.
As I love my children, so does the Lord love me, my sister… you. His love is deep, abiding, unconditional. His love, even in our spiritually dead and devastated state, gave us Jesus.
This is the story of Scripture, and in the Psalms––the Bible’s ancient hymnbook––this story is poetically rendered. In ancient Israel, the psalms were individually composed but corporately shared, set to music by David, himself, or by temple worship leaders who led the nation’s people in the praise or petition of Yahweh, their covenant God.
The Psalms are a collection of ancient praises, prayers, laments, and wisdom for finding the way of righteousness…and they are all, every last one, about and for Jesus.
Praise Jesus, indeed.
To start a year of Bible study this fall, the women of Wednesday evening and Thursday morning Renovaré will spend just four weeks studying eight of ancient Israel’s songs from the book of Psalms. We’ll together do a close reading of the two introductory psalms and two each of Messianic psalms, laments, and praises.
We’ll collectively consider these ancient songs, and we’ll see… God’s song is Jesus.
Join us in Renovaré this year. We’ll hope. We’ll trust. And, praise be to God, we’ll sing…about and for Jesus.
Who knows. It might just bring you out of your crabbiness. You might even crack a smile.
May Jesus be your song today.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a song of praise to our God.
Psalm 40:2-3.
- Davis, Jimmie. “You Are My Sunshine.”
- Jolson, Al. “Sonny Boy.”
- The Temptations. “My Girl.”
Robin Kaufmann is wife to Tim and mom to three young adults and a daughter-in-law, who are all scattered about the Midwest for various educational and professional endeavors. After elementary and college-level teaching, Robin spent many years serving in development and as a marketing/communications director for Rochester’s private schools. In between graduations and college move-ins (and outs), she now freelances as a communications consultant. She is not a fan of winter but Robin has been happy to call Rochester “home” for 21 years, nonetheless.
The post Devotional: a song in my soul appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Jan SchwinglerShare about your family
Jan, Doug, and their Rochester grandkidsMy husband, Doug, and I met while attending college in Mankato. We moved to Rochester 45 years ago, shortly after we were married. We immediately thought it was a great place, and a wonderful spot to raise a family. We have 3 children. Our daughter and son-in-law live here in Rochester (Rachel & Hans Sviggum – also Calvary members) with their 6 children. One son and daughter-in-law live in the twin cities with their 2 daughters. Our youngest son and daughter-in-law live in Las Vegas with their one daughter, and soon expecting another daughter. We treasure all of them and thank God every day for the time we get to spend with them. Being grandparents to soon to be 10 grandchildren is the absolute BEST for us! We love being a part of their lives and watching them grow and change!
What is your favorite time of day?
My favorite time of day is definitely early morning. I usually awaken by 5:30 and start my day with a long walk with my husband. The still, quiet mornings and the amazing sunrises are a wonderful way to start my day, reminding me of the gift of creation that we get to enjoy every day. Having the time to do this is truly one of the advantages to getting older and being able to take life a little bit slower. Another advantage to this season of life is being able to spend more time in what I call my ”prayer chair “. The prayer lists seem to get longer and longer but the sense of God’s presence seems to get stronger and stronger.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
My favorite outdoor activity would be hiking. Over the years we have traveled to many National Parks and enjoyed many miles of hiking. It was definitely a priority to us when our children were still at home. We took them all over the country to experience the beauty of this earth that we get to enjoy. Some of my favorite times were sitting at the end of a trail eating PB and J sandwiches, enjoying our family being together and the beauty of our surroundings. Since my husband retired, the two of us have enjoyed many hiking outings. Recently our favorite spot has been desert hiking in Arizona and also an annual trip to the North Shore to hike the Superior Trail.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
There are way too many verses, that I cling to frequently, to choose a favorite but I will share a favorite prayer of mine. I grew up in a home where my dad was a recovered alcoholic and this prayer was one my family turned to often.
Serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardship as a pathway to peace. Taking this world as it is, not as I would have it, trusting that YOU will make all things right if I surrender to YOUR will, so that I may be reasonably happy in this world, and supremely happy with YOU forever in the next.
Jean BushreShare a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I grew up in the small village of Eureka, Michigan – Population about 500. Every summer my parents, siblings and I spent most weekends at our cottage on Houghton Lake in Northern Michigan. Often aunts, uncles and cousins would join us and we would have a great time swimming, fishing and sitting around camp fires making s’mores. I have very fond memories of those years!
I was blessed to be born into a Christian family. We were at our church in Eureka every time the doors were open for whatever activity. At the age of 7, I accepted Christ as my savior and was baptized shortly after that. Then a few years later, at age 12, I rededicated my life to Christ at Camp Barakel in Northern Michigan and knew He wanted me to be a nurse in my adult life. After high school, I attended Butterworth Hospital School of Nursing in Grand Rapids, Michigan and graduated with a diploma in 1968.
Ed and Jean BushreGrowing up, we did not move to a lot of different places. But after graduating from nursing school, I started to move around a little. I went on a mission trip to Haiti with our pastor and some of the youth from our church in Eureka. Then, I moved to Oklahoma City for about a year. While there, I felt God’s call to me to go to Haiti as a Medical Missionary. I went to Haiti with the West Indies Mission group and spent 2 years working at the mission clinic in Les Cayes, Haiti. Over the years, I have also lived in Montana and Florida.
My husband, Ed, and I married in 1974 and we had 2 boys – Kevin and Kyle. Many years later, we were blessed with four grandchildren. Kevin lives in Michigan with his children Flora and Garrett. I am blessed to live in Minnesota with Kyle and Rachel, and grandchildren Sam and Ally.
What is your favorite Bible verse?
My favorite Bible verses are Proverbs 3: 5-6
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”
I have found this to be so very true over the years. Through all of my life, God has never failed me. Whether in good or bad situations, I keep my trust in Him.
What’s one of your favorite movies?
“The Sound of Music” is my very favorite movie of all time. I think it came out in 1967. I was in nursing school then and quite often someone in my dorm would say “Let’s go see the Sound of Music”. I was always ready to go! I think I saw the movie about 10 times in the theater that year. I have watched it quite often since then also.
Jean and grandson SamWhat is your favorite outdoor activity?
My favorite outdoor activity is sitting around a camp fire with my family eating s’mores. We are blessed at our house in Minnesota to have a small patio in our backyard with a built in fire pit and have used it quite often.
What is your favorite local restaurant and the meal you most enjoy eating there?
My very favorite restaurant is actually a national chain, Olive Garden. I almost always get the lasagna. But, I have also discovered Newt’s here in Rochester. They have absolutely fabulous burgers, which is something that I could eat every day!
The post Faces of Calvary: meet Jan Schwingler and Jean Bushre appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Stephanie ConkrightOn the same day Jill Pearson asked me to write a brief invitation to Renovaré, someone asked me why we call our women’s Bible study Renovaré.
Renovaré, pronounced ren-oh-vahr-ay, is a verb that means to restore to good condition; make new or, as if new again; to reinvigorate. It is derived from the Latin verb ‘novare,’ meaning, “to make new.”
There is surely no better way to be reinvigorated or made new than to be in God’s word. Doing this in the company of others takes this to another level. I have been attending Renovaré, formerly Coffee and Friends, since moving to Rochester in 2008. Sometimes my work schedule required me to attend the evening option, but for the past several years I have been able to attend on Thursday mornings. I am so thankful we have both evening and daytime options and am excited to report that this year we will be piloting Wednesday evenings in addition to our regular Monday evening study.
During the summer, while we take a break from our weekly meetings, I will sometimes do a study on my own, or maybe read a devotional book. I have also enjoyed listening to audio books by Christian authors. I enjoy this practice, and to be honest, I am sometimes ready for a break from having to get my homework done each week during the school year, but I miss the interaction and insights I get from studying with other women on a weekly basis. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to, “encourage one another and build each other up.” This is what happens at Renovaré. Women in my study group build me up in so many ways; by their prayers, by their perspectives and contributions, by their humor, by their candid sharing of real-life struggles, by keeping me from being lazy and falling behind with my homework, by being there for each other during times of need. I have made so many dear friends at Renovaré that I might never have even encountered elsewhere.
Ingrid Ansell & Stephanie Conkright, Renovare coordinatorsSo, I invite you to join us as we kick off a new year on September 12th at Essex Park and then begin our studies on September 19th. Each week we begin with a corporate time of worship which sets the stage for our study of the Word. You won’t want to miss that time. You can find all the dates, times and study options on the Calvary website. Sign up soon as the classes fill up quickly!
And finally, I want to give a big thank you to all the women who make Renovaré happen: worship leaders, coffee makers, greeters, study leaders, childcare workers, custodians. We need you all and are thankful for each of you.
Hoping to see you there!
Stephanie Conkright is wife to Garth and mother to Laura. She left her native England more than 30 years ago, has lived in four countries, and has had at least as many different careers. She enjoys hiking, reading, and reminiscing about her time in different cultures over a proper cup of tea. At Calvary, she is a member of the Women’s Ministry team.
The post An invitation to Renovaré appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Rachel Sviggum Whether you are a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or someone who interacts with youth (which includes everyone in some capacity!), you will not be surprised that the topics of childhood, technology and mental illness are infiltrating the media, churches, families and schools. There is heightening concern for the younger generations and their upbringing with what author Jonathan Haidt coins the “phone-based childhood”.
In his 2024 national best seller, Haidt dives into the epidemic of teen mental illness whose arrival coincided with the decline of the “play-based childhood” and the transition to the “phone-based childhood” in the mid-2010’s. He looks carefully at how a child’s need for play and independent exploration is necessary for their development into thriving adults and how this was drastically reduced and, in some cases, almost eliminated with the introduction of the smart phone to children.
Haidt presents clear research on how social media affects girls and boys differently and gives clear examples of how families, teachers, schools, technology companies, and even the government can respond. He ultimately lands on four suggestions to make a significant difference: no smartphones before high school, no access to social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and many more hours of unsupervised independent play.
It is important to note that Haidt is a non-Christian psychologist, and this can be seen in some of his examples as well his evolutionary understanding of how children and adults develop and thrive. While I disagree with this aspect of his thinking, the conclusions that he draws are relevant and significant enough that I recommend this book to every adult, particularly parents. It is particularly valuable to read before any phones are introduced to the children in your family, but its insights are applicable at any stage of parenting.
Rachel Sviggum is married to Hans and a homeschooling mama to six kids ages 3-15. A good book, a cup of coffee and a spot on the deck is her recipe for a great morning!
The post Book Review: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Sandy SchadHere is a honey cornbread recipe that is always a favorite at fall family gatherings. The buckwheat honey makes the cornbread have an incredibly delicious flavor. Mouth watering with butter and wildflower honey on each warm slice.
There are never any leftovers!
Buckwheat Honey Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup buckwheat honey
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking pan.
- Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and baking powder in a large bowl; form a well in the center. Add cream, eggs, oil, and buckwheat honey; stir until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
Chris and Sandy Schad grew up in Stillwater, but have called Rochester home for nearly 40 years. Their two sons are grown, flown and married two wonderful young ladies. Chris and Sandy are the owners of The Bee Shed apiary and honey business.
The post Cooks of Calvary: Sandy serves up buckwheat honey cornbread appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Join other young adults from Calvary for an awesome experience of worship, prayer, and teaching in Atlanta, GA! From Passion: “From its start in 1997, the Passion movement has had a singular mission—calling students and leaders from campuses across the nation and cities around the world to live for what matters most. For us, what matters most is the name and renown of Jesus. We believe in this generation and are watching God use them to change the climate of faith around the globe.”
The post Passion Conference for Young Adults appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post Fall Outing appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post Women’s Pickleball appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
What is Calvary Equipping Academy?Calvary Equipping Academy is a new offering at Calvary. This ongoing class will function like a “seminary light” and will seek to help its participants grow in their understanding of doctrine, theology, and biblical hermeneutics. It is firmly a class; its design is academic (and not necessarily social), though we encourage classmates to grow in friendship!
Specifically, the overall objective is: to train people in doctrine, theology, and hermeneutical methods that will help them grow as disciples and as Christian thinkers.
Where and When?The first semester of CAE will start on Sunday, September 15, 11:00am, in the Youth Room.
Who can attend Calvary Equipping Academy?This course of study is designed for adults seeking an introduction to doctrine, theology, and hermeneutics. High school students are also welcome. Mature middle school students who can handle a classroom atmosphere are welcome to attend with an adult as well.
Will there be homework involved with this class?The answer to that will change course by course and instructor by instructor, but yes, there will likely be some mild homework assignments. But of course, there will not be any grades handed out!
How long of a scope and sequence will there be?That is not entirely determined yet, but it will be at least a 3-year scope before any repetition.
What kinds of courses will be taught?There will be three primary kinds of courses taught through CAE. In any give calendar year, we will teach at least one course per group-type.
Group A will consist of survey-style classes looking at major categories of scripture, their themes, and broader understandings of their genres, etc. Think things like “Old Testament Survey” or “Minor Prophets.”
Group B will consist of topics related to theology and hermeneutics. Think things like “Systematic Theology” or “The Bible in its World.”
Group C will include electives on important topics related to personal development and discipleship. Examples might include a marriage elective, finance elective, or a “Martyrs and Missionaries Elective.”
Who will be the Calvary Equipping Academy faculty?While it may change over time, presently our faculty includes Pastor Tim Nelson, Pastor Larry Orth, and Pastor Brian Martin.
Do I have to register to join a semester’s class?Have to? No. Is it mildly helpful to have a head-count so we can plan for resources, chairs, etc.? Yes – please register if you can. Come if you want to, even if you didn’t register!
Is there a cost to participate?No, not generally. Some courses may ask you to purchase a textbook of some kind, but most will not. We are happy to help anyone get resources they need for the class.
What should I bring to class?A notebook and writing utensil, or a computer, for taking notes. Also bring a Bible!
Is this a singular program, or an “a la carte” situation?While there would be wide value in taking this course of study as a singular program (since it will cover a wide range of topics and subjects, leading to well-rounded knowledge), it is entirely permissible to come in and out from course to course. Further, we do understand that people sometimes need to miss a Sunday. That is fine, but the subject matters will often build upon one another.
The post Calvary Equipping Academy appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Sunday Morning ProgrammingBeginning September 8th Coffee Connection: 7:30 in Fireside (beverages only), 9-11 in Fireside and Gym (beverages and treats)
Live-streaming will only be done for the 9:30 AM service (but you can view it, or view it again, anytime after that)
8:00am Church Service * Adults - None * Middle and High School - None * Elementary - None * Early Childhood (kinder and below) 9:30am Church Service * Adults:
+ Calvary Community (Fellowship Hall)
+ Explore (Rm 225)
+ Horizons - college (Rm 223)
+ Reflections (Rm 224)
- Middle and High School (Youth Rm)
- Elementary - by grade Sunday School
- Early Childhood (kinder and below) 11:00am* Church Service
-
Adults:
- Abide - formerly "Connect" (Rm 123)
- Grace Community (Rm 134)
- Calvary Equipping Academy (Rm 225)
- Middle and High School - None
- Elementary -Treehouse (Pie-Shaped Rm)
- Early Childhood (kinder and below) The post Fall Sunday morning programs appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Karyn GrenzAuthor Sharon Hodde Miller, teaching pastor at Bright City Church in Durham, North Carolina, brings a fresh look at discovering the power God has given us to influence ourselves in self control. In her book, The Cost of Control; why we crave it, the anxiety it gives us, and the real power God promises, she works through the WHY, the HOW, and the COST of trying to control everything in our lives. Then, she carefully crafts the antidote to seeking control, and it’s more than just “trust God more.”
I have always struggled with control in my life. When I’m anxious, the answer is to control even more. Miller describes this is as one of the costs of control. This struggle however, is as old as Adam and Eve. They “traded paradise for power” as they sought for their own control. What ultimately happens though is that the more control we seek, the less control we actually feel. We attempt to control through information seeking, exerting power over things or others, and relying on money or our own autonomy. The cost of these controlling attempts unfortunately ends in broken relationships, increased anxiety, burnout, and potentially body shame.
Miller reminds that God promises the REAL power and has from the very beginning even when Adam and Eve could not recognize it through the devil’s schemes. He gives us agency, or the “power to influence ourselves and our own circumstances.” He encourages us to pray, to listen attentively, and to choose the important matters. As Galatians clarifies, true power comes not from us, but from the Holy Spirit.
With each chapter having a written prayer and reflection questions at the end, this book could easily be adapted for a small group or a women’s bible study. It carries thoughtful questions throughout that build upon each other. Ultimately, she encourages each of us to “not settle for the devil’s offers of security, success and power anymore. We can have the real thing in Jesus.”
Karyn Grenz is co-editor of The Stir, wife to Chris and mother to Josef (17) and Alexa (13). She is a former family nurse practitioner, now homeschool mum. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying a good English period drama with a cup of tea, gardening or being an amateur birder in her back yard.
The post The fruit of the spirit: self-control – book review appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Rachel Sviggim
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I am a Rochester native and thrilled to be back raising our family here. My parents, Doug and Jan Schwingler, also attend Calvary. As I look back on my childhood, our family adventures traveling the United States remain treasures in my mind. We enjoyed time here at the Minnesota lakes, but also went to a different National Park or parks each year. Hans and I have tried to incorporate times like these into our family rhythm as well.
Share about your family.
My husband, Hans, and I have been married for sixteen years. We have six wonderful children, Kaia (15), Thor (13), Brita (11), Lars (9), Leif (7), and Annika (3). Life is never dull and we wouldn’t have it any other way! Hans and I met in college (fall of my freshman year) and have been (mostly) together ever since. I have followed him back to Rochester (after getting married), to Boston for a year with two of our children in tow, and then back here to the rolling hills of the Oronoco area and the growing community of Rochester.
Describe your average day.
An average day starts early at our house. Hans’ job requires him to leave the house often before dawn. Since the era of gym shut-downs, we have acquired a habit of exercising together in the morning before he leaves. I have learned to share the home gym that was previously my own and he contributes by refilling my water bottle and giving me the best fan when it’s hot! The rest of the day is work for him, homeschooling for the kids and myself (yes, I am also learning alongside them), and often a trip to the RAC for some tennis or basketball. Summer brings about a welcome change of pace and we try to spend as much time outside as possible.
How does your faith inform your work?
I love this question because I feel like my work consists of keeping our home and educating our children and I have seen God in so many aspects of both of those things. Although homeschooling was not on our radar when we got married, it has been our biggest leap of faith that has also been an incredible gift to our family. It’s not the most glamorous job and the monetary pay is minimal, but I truly believe that the Lord sees these little jobs of making meals, cleaning up, and washing hands and faces (to name a few!) as worthy jobs that honor Him. I love being Hans’ support and help and feel incredibly grateful for this job!
What are three of your favorite foods?
You may have determined by the names of our kids that we have a strong Scandinavian heritage on both sides of our family. Lefse is hands-down my favorite food and we make it every year before Thanksgiving. On a more regular basis, I love tacos of all kinds and enjoy a really good, hearty salad in the summer.
If you could be anywhere, doing anything right now, where would you be and what would you be doing?
If I could be anywhere right now, I would be on a hike in the mountains with Hans and the kids! I love to experience the beauty of creation on a hike. A second favorite spot to be is reading…to the kids or on my own! We all enjoy a good book at our house.
Beret CanakesShare about your family.
Hi! I am Beret (Sandum) Canakes. Jeff and I moved to Rochester from the Cities 33 years ago. Today our two daughters live in the Cities and our son in Salt Lake City. Our eldest and her husband have our 3 grandchildren. They are 8 1/2, 6 1/2 and 3. I especially cherish the videos I have of them singing worship music and reciting scripture. I cherish time in the summer with them and with extended family, our neighborhood and catching up with friends.
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I was born in Boise, Idaho. We moved to Mpls and then New York City. We were five children born in 6 years. My dad soon did not live with us, yet I have fond memories of running down the street to meet his bus on Sundays and he would take us to the park. In the summer we would have school days on our porch to teach the neighbor kids for 25 cents. Some moments in my 18 years as a special education assistant at an elementary school here remind me of those times. I often tell Jeff he is also contributing to our community with me in his job because I could not live off the wage I am paid at school.
My only memory of church on Staten Island in NY was an Easter morning. We had jellybean stained white gloves.
My mom passed away suddenly when I was 12 so my siblings and I lived with my grandparents in Jackson, Minnesota. They were wonderfully faithful to us! I am grateful for the woman that led a bible study in which I was included there. I remember my sister Kyrie (now gone nearly 30 years) helped me memorize my first bible verse. Phillipians 4:6-8
Share about something new you’ve experienced recently.
This spring I tried something new. Jeff’s sister asked me to pick up a gig as host for a medical event that her business organized downtown at Thai Pop. Uffda there were many more details involved than I imagined. I was grateful that Jeff helped me with a few specifics as well as colleagues at school and a longtime friend! I was reminded how difficult it is for me to ask for help. I remember my mom and later Mark Solfelt saying, “Always know where you would run if you needed help.”
What is your favorite time of day?
I look forward to the beginning of the day. There is such a freshness. Hot coffee, a worship song, new mercies, prayer with Jeff- if need be as we commute.
What is something you love?
I adore photographs and words- I suppose most people do. We have letters my mom wrote describing each one of us to her parents long before we came to live with them. Also, her friends and relatives were so kind to send us the letters they had received from Mom that described our childhood. They convey her love for us and the gift of being known. When Jeff and I returned from our trip to visit Joe in Utah we found a handwritten letter hidden in each of our suitcases from our dear son. Our daughter Rachel compiled a book of notes and photos from loved ones for our 40th wedding anniversary. Our daughter Karin gathered 60 cards for my 60th birthday!
Can you share a favorite quote?
Life on this side of eternity includes brokenness, yet I love this quote by Helen Keller: “So much has been given to me I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied.”
The post Faces of Calvary: Rachel and Beret appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Karyn GrenzWe reflect God’s love, promote unity, and support one another in faith when we show kindness within the church community. Demonstrating kindness in our interactions not only follows biblical teachings but also contributes to a vibrant and caring community where each member feels valued and supported.
As many of you know, our family was privileged to host Philipa and Daniel from Papua New Guinea in April/May of this year. During their stay some real needs arose, and I am so thrilled and proud to say that so many of you answered the calls for assistance. Here are just a few examples:
Larry Addison with Philipa during her examUpon their arrival, these equatorial natives were absolutely freezing! The lowest temperatures they had ever experienced was 75 degrees fahrenheit and that day it was 20! The clothes and sandals they brought were definitely not going to be enough. I had donated to “Lower Room 2” (a local sharing closet for children’s clothing) in the past, and I quickly sent a message. The very next day, the owner set out 3 bags of clothes for Daniel, including a winter jacket and insulated pants. For Philipa, a small group member brought over warm pajamas and sweaters. What a life saver!
Philipa filled out many forms for Daniel’s appointments and surgery, and I quickly recognized her struggle both to read smaller print and to focus on objects in the distance (think Mayo Clinic lobbies). When I inquired about glasses, Philipa explained that the only dental or vision care available to them comes from missionary boats that circle the island periodically. She said they are allowed to sign up for appointments, but it may take up to two years to be seen. Enter Carla & Larry Addison, owners of Total Vision Eyecare. I called Carla to ask if Larry would just confirm that Philipa needed reading glasses, thinking that I could at least get her some dollar store readers to help. Larry agreed to see her in the office, complete a full exam and even provided her with a pair of new eye glasses (bifocals!). What a tremendous gift and how grateful Philipa was!
Daniel asked early on about a haircut. He wanted to have a “real haircut” and look like a famous soccer player. Deon Flatt, a small group member and barber, had him in his chair that same week!
There was only one tense moment during their stay. It happened the night of Daniel’s surgery. After seeing him all settled in his room after an eight hour surgery, we said good night and decided to get some sleep. On the way home from the hospital the surgeon called to inform us that there was a leak in one of the vessel connections, and he needed permission to go back into the operating room. Attempting to avoid panic, we quickly came home, gathered some clothes and had a bite to eat before rushing back to the hospital. However, we were dog sitting for Spring Break, and my own daughter needed dinner. Enter our small group members. After one phone call, we had two people at our doorstep within minutes and we were safely back to the hospital. Phew!
Sand in the toes at Lake Superior in April! During that hospital week, Philipa stayed at least 22 of 24 hours per day. As my husband was traveling that week and she wanted someone to be with Daniel at all times, who would do the transporting for Philipa so she could freshen up? Diane Orth made one phone call to a church member, and we had a driver who patiently waited. Many of you brought such delicious family meals that were immensely helpful, especially that hospital week! We were foretold of the “famous Nancy Monson meal” and it surely did not disappoint. In fact, because of the rice, it was one of Daniel’s favorites. He even got to experience a “coyboy meal” of pulled pork and an Iowan tradition of chili and cinnamon rolls. Calvary truly has some amazing cooks!
While he was recuperating, Daniel kept asking, “Where is your sea?” He was clearly missing home and the Solomon Sea they often visited and fished in. We thought in Minnesota the closest “sea” we could come up with was Lake Superior! With one phone call to my parents, who live in Two Harbors Minnesota, we were in the car the following weekend. We stopped on a lovely spring day at Park Point Park and although it was only 60 degrees we took off our shoes and stuck our toes in the sand! Daniel had the biggest smile on his face we had ever seen. He turned to us and said “it feels like home!” Sweet relief!
Goodbye gatherinWhen the time came to say goodbye, our friends and small group graciously came and celebrated with us. This gave Philipa a chance to show her gratitude and Daniel a chance to “be a boy” amongst the other kids. What joy there was in knowing people from a new country and giving praises to God for a successful surgery and overall experience. Our sweet neighbors even bought Daniel a collapsible fishing rod that he could take home to replace his wooden stick pole. Such a kind and thoughtful gesture!
In 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Paul writes, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” This verse highlights the role of kindness in building up and supporting fellow believers. So many of your acts of kindness through encouragement, affirmation, and practical assistance strengthened relationships and promoted a positive, nurturing environment for this family. Thank you from the bottom our our hearts!
Daniel and neighbor Bill, with a collapsable fishing rod to take home
Karyn Grenz is co-editor of The Stir, wife to Chris and mother to Josef (17) and Alexa (13). She is a former family nurse practitioner, now homeschool mum. In her spare time, you can find her enjoying a good English period drama with a cup of tea, gardening or being an amateur birder in her back yard.
The post Fruit of the spirit: kindness appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post RightNow Media Access appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post Fan the Flame appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Hear from Pastor Kyle about these three changes we are making starting September 8th to accommodate our growth and missionThe post 3 changes coming in September appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Karyn GrenzSpring is the optimal time for farmers to cultivate their land. This means that they are busy preparing the land for the most favorable growth of their seeds. What if we thought about our spiritual walk like this? Creating an optimal environment for the word of God to dwell deep within us and causing growth to occur that may bless others around us. We can do this through reading the Bible – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16; praying regularly – Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need, Hebrews 4:16; and gathering for fellowship in a local church – Not neglecting to together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near, Hebrews 10:25. May God bless you and cause you to grow in Him as you pursue these things!
This month, we celebrate the cultivation of a painting passion in Elizabeth England and the literal cultivation of soil in gardening from Papua New Guinea with For Hearts and Souls visitor Philipa Jajata, to flower and vegetable gardening in Canada with Cheri Hart. In May, we also celebrate Mother’s Day. Enjoy the beautiful contributions from Kari Kaus, Rachael Howden, and Linnea Johnson, honoring their mothers and the relationships with their girls. In Faces of Calvary, we meet Deb Jones and Carol Holland. A delicious recipe of lemon pie from Kathy Bergqist seems perfect as we head in to warmer months. Finally, a book review by Melissa Meyers tells us about a multigenerational story that balances approaching death with a beautiful reflection of a life well lived. Enjoy!
The post May welcome: cultivation of skills, gardens and relationships appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Cheri HartCheri and her grandma enjoying the flowersWhen I was a girl, my parents would pack up the station wagon each summer and take my two younger brothers and me for month-long visits to see our grandparents living in eastern Canada. The trip involved a very long two-day drive each way as I shared the back seat with two active boys. Mom would occasionally need to dive over the front seat to reach them. Back then, divided highways were rare going through Canada so we drove mostly on back roads and Dad would gun it to pass cars in single lane traffic. Mom was known to go faster. It was a sigh of relief when we all stumbled out of the car.
Both sets of my grandparents lived within a few miles of each other, and we’d evenly split time between them. Days were spent visiting relatives in old country houses with pump organs in the parlors, walking through ancestral graveyards next to country churches, picking wild blueberries and strawberries in the fields and attending Sunday church services. We explored attics filled with antiques, fished for brook trout in small streams under covered bridges and generally used our imaginations outdoors during the rest of the time.
When we arrived mid-summer, nature was in full bloom and the landscape rich in color and fragrance. It was especially so at my grandparents’ homes. Both had different, yet magnificent types of gardens. Mom’s parents had an enormous vegetable garden filled with organic potatoes, carrots, green and yellow beans, beets, tomatoes and garden peas which provided sustenance year-round. Dinners each night featured bowls filled with freshly picked produce. There was always enough extra for Grandpa to give generously to neighbors in need.
Cheri’s grandpa in the gardenDad’s parents cultivated charming flower gardens which surrounded around their entire home featuring pansies, salvia, sweet william, petunias, peonies, lilacs, hydrangeas, roses and more. The fragrance was lovely, and the textures and colors were beautiful. People would drive by just to look. Two different gardens cultivated by diligent work, bountiful and blossoming, weathered by different seasons, and filled with love.
Similarly, our lives, deep in our souls, require cultivation to bloom and flourish like a garden before God. In Isaiah 58:11 God refers to His people as like a garden saying, “and you shall be like a well-watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” Later, Paul tells us God is the one who makes things grow. In I Corinthians 3:7 he says, “So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.” God is working in our lives to make us flourish and grow. It’s not about our efforts, it’s about His.
He is our Master Gardener and responsible for the cultivation of our souls. He waters our roots of resilience and cultivates seeds of potential. His hands mold our character. His wisdom prunes out the unnecessary. His care nurtures growth. He bathes each bloom in the sunlight of His love, and in His presence, is the richest soil for our spirits to flourish. We’ll experience many challenges, hardships, uncertainties, joys, disappointments, pain, anxiety, and times when we feel dormant or far from Him. But, we can rest assured and know He is at work in everything. British pastor, Charles Spurgeon, said, “He (God) who begins the good work carries it on. He who imparts the first germ of life in the dead soul, prolongs the divine existence, and strengthens it until it bursts asunder every bond of sin, and the soul leaps from earth, perfected in glory.”
Cheri and JohnAuthor and minister, Henry van Dyke, writing words for the hymn, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” penned, “…Hearts unfold like flowers before Him, Opening to the sun above…” Think of our souls unfolding like flowers before God. Imagine Him walking through our soul garden cradling a bloom with His hands, touching the petals, and leaning over to smell a sweet fragrance that is beautiful to Him because of His care in our lives.
Let’s embrace and yield to God who works through each season and situation of our lives – growing and maturing us and bringing forth sweet, fragrant, and beautiful blooms. My grandparents’ gardens are long gone and only a cherished memory, but the gardening of my soul, well, those blooms will live forever.
Cheri Hart – Bio
Cheri is happily retired with her husband, John. They have two children and one son-in-law. Cheri attended Michigan State University, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in communication. Her communication background provided opportunities that included newspaper advertising, healthcare marketing, and a call to serve on her church’s pastoral team overseeing ministry to children for 15 years. She recently retired from Mayo Clinic after serving in a variety of communication positions, including fundraising and benefactor recognition. Cheri enjoys trips to rocky shores like Maine and Lake Superior, vintage boat rides, reading, walks, catching up with friends and is learning to master the art of baking cakes.
The post Soul gardens: a devotional appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Share a bit about yourself, your interests, and your stage of life.
My name is Rachael Howden. I am in my freshman year of college and planning to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. I am finishing my freshman year at RCTC and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have an extra year with my family. This August, I will be leaving for college, so I am finding that I cherish the time we spend together even more. I enjoy many hobbies, but some of my favorites are reading, hiking, karate, and Bible study.
Share a core memory from your childhood.
The Girls Dress Up for Brunch Choosing a single memory is so hard. One memory that I hold particularly close to my heart is reading The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings for the first time with my mom. We were on vacation and stopped at a little bookstore. She was looking for a particular book. Winding our way through the crowded rooms stacked high with books, she stopped and pulled a small copy of The Hobbit from a shelf. That night she started reading it to me. I was enchanted. It was a special time with my mom with a special book and when we finished, I wasn’t sure I wanted to read the Lord of the Rings. How could the trilogy compare with the Hobbit? Despite my misgivings, we started listening to the Lord of the Rings audiobook in the evenings after my sisters went to bed. For months we listened together; bedtime was my favorite time of day. Looking back, I think the trilogy has been an enduring favorite and that is partially due to fond memories from my first time reading it with my mom. There’s something magical about going on a literary journey together.
What is something that you love and appreciate about your mom?
I really appreciate the time and effort she put into homeschooling me. She gave me a love of learning and curiosity about the world around me. She spent many hours reading aloud to me, instilling in me a love of stories even before I could read them for myself. We also spent a lot of time outside. While I wasn’t super outdoorsy when I was little, she won me over to the love of the outdoors in time.
What is an activity you enjoy doing with your mom?
I can’t think of a single activity that stands out. Rather, the small everyday moments come to mind most readily. We enjoy many of the same books and like talking about themes or greater truths found within their pages. We both love hiking, plotting spontaneous trips, belting out MercyMe songs in the car, and drinking tea late at night in front of the fire.
How are you similar and different from your mom?
The Howden FamilyMy mom and I share a similar sense of humor, an appreciation for beauty, a creative bent, a love of chemistry, and a joy of doing spontaneous activities. While we share similar values and hobbies, we do have some differences in preferences. My mom loves Earl Gray tea, but I think it smells quite terrible. She also gets excited about shopping, but I can think of 1001 things I would rather do (including cleaning the bathroom). When packing for vacations, she likes to prepare for several situations while I like to pack in the smallest backpack I can find. (mostly kidding )
If you could give your mom any gift, no matter the expense or impossibility, what would it be?
I would give her the gift of a birding trip to find some of her favorite birds. She has mentioned how much she would love to go to Central America to see the myriad of tropical birds, especially the hummingbirds. She also loves puffins and blue-footed boobies, but the most elusive bird on her list is a burrowing owl. On multiple occasions when we were in Florida we drove to places that were supposed to have tons of them, but we never saw a single one. Whenever we go on vacation she likes to bring her binoculars and tries to fit in a little birdwatching around our other activities. I think taking the time to go and find the birds she has always wanted to see would be a really special gift.
The post Mothers & Daughters: A tribute to Karen Howden appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Linnea JohnsonShare a bit about yourself, your interests, and your stage of life.**
My name is Linnea, and I’m the daughter of Darcy Johnson. You most likely have seen me around Calvary, as it has been my home church for all of my life. I am the youngest kid in my family with three older siblings. My two sisters and brother are no longer in Rochester and are starting their own families. I am connected to Foundation, the young adult small group at Calvary.
I have a lot of niche interests that ebb and flow at different times in my life. Some of the things that have always remained consistent is a love for stories, art and music. This has led to an interest in books, films, tv shows, DnD, drawing, a ridiculous amount of other art mediums, and listening to a wide variety of music. I also think that animals are really neat. I currently have a bearded dragon named Calcifer, who is my pride and joy.
For my current stage in life, I am just trying to figure out what to do with my life. With my wide variety of interests and short attention span, it can be hard to find a consistent and sure path forward other than a vague direction. Right now, I am a sterile processing technician at Mayo Clinic, and I am looking for career options that combine my love for art and people. Right now I am learning to trust God’s leading rather than what my own personal plans for my life are. It’s not an easy process, but I am ultimately trying to follow God’s good and perfect plan, even if it has led me on paths I didn’t anticipate.
How are you similar and different from your mom?
When describing the relationship my mom and I have, it can be hard to explain our dynamics. I think it’s difficult to compare me and my mom because I feel that we often have similar views, goals and interests, but completely different ways of achieving them. She tends to think through her options with a goal in mind and move forward with directed passion, whereas I tend to dive in headfirst with reckless abandon. Because of this, I tend to be someone who is more willing to push the envelope and be more daring in that sense. The anxiousness that often comes with new situations or tasks doesn’t really daunt me, whereas I know my mom prefers to have a bit more information before moving forward. I feel this dynamic is most clear whenever we play board games and card games together. We both are pursuing the same goal to win the game, being that we are both competitive. However, while she first reads through all of the rules and seeks to completely understand the game, I am much more comfortable with learning on the fly and trying potentially risky strategies.
I also feel that we are both protective towards those we care about. She has the epitome of the ‘mama bear’ attitude and I am happy that I have inherited that same attribute. While we are both generally agreeable people and mild-mannered in some ways, I know that we are both the first to dive into a situation where those we care about are vulnerable. It is especially in those moments that we are unafraid of being ourselves and standing for what we believe in.
These are the kinds of attributes and values that I am proud to share with her. I know that they are things that were cultivated in my childhood and simply grew as I came into my own. Growing up, I would say that I was probably considered to be the ‘token weird kid’ that people knew. I was always full of energy and excitement for things that most people often didn’t take much interest in. I would say it was in that space where my mom has encouraged me and nurtured me the most.
What is an activity you enjoy doing with your mom?
In terms of similarities between me and my mom, I feel we have a very similar sense of humor. We tend to find the same things funny, usually because they are absurd or unexpected. It’s because of this that one of my favorite things to do with my mom is to do mundane tasks together. I feel like regardless of whether we are running errands, getting supper ready, or just sitting in the living room and talking, we always will be able to laugh and have fun in that. Some of the times we have laughed the most were when we simply were at the store, both of us trying and failing to find a certain item on the list or getting lost. It’s small moments like those that I will always cherish and find joy in.
Share a core memory from your childhood.
One memory that I distinctly remember with my mom was from the fifth grade when I was around ten years old. Halloween was approaching and because at the time I was fascinated by platypi, I wanted to be a platypus for halloween. Obviously, there were no stores that were going to be selling a realistic platypus costume, so my mom set out to make me one. It took a couple weeks and a lot of creativity to make it, but by Halloween I was a full fledged platypus complete with webbed feet and a giant duckbill that hung over my face. I remember that costume so clearly because I remember the amount of effort and thought my mom put into it. I remember thinking that she was a creative genius that was able to make my wild imagination unfold before my very eyes. Not only did she make an awesome costume for me, but she also included me in the process and made it FUN.
I can safely say that she is to blame for my belief that I can do anything as long as I set my mind to it and think it through. This memory sticks out in my mind because she showed me that obstacles were simply just problems to solve. Alongside her, I felt that I could overcome anything with my imagination, some planning and hard work. There really was no limit, just skills to be built, experiences to be had, and perseverance to learn from your mistakes. I feel that I have been able to apply that to life, regardless of what has been thrown my way.
What is something that you love and appreciate about your mom?
My mom has always been able to take my impulsivity and passion in stride. My excitement can often cause me to dive into something a lot bigger than I was anticipating. I can then be overwhelmed or thrown into a situation that I am horribly unprepared for. That is where my mom’s patience, wisdom and cool head can truly shine.
All throughout my life, I distinctly remember times in which I have brought an idea to her and rather than try and talk me out of it, she instead helped me create a practical way forward. In a way, she has always felt like a reliable sounding board. I would be hard pressed to find a time where she immediately told me no. Instead, she would always hear me and my reasoning out first before offering advice, solutions, or even sometimes diving in headfirst alongside me. Of course there have also been plenty of times where I brought my new scheme or idea to her and through the process of practical questions, I then decided to find a new direction. However, it is always her support that has encouraged me to continue forward in life and keep my passions alive, rather than settle for indifference.
In that same reliability when it comes to my creative ideas, she also takes all of my hardships in a stride as well. While I feel that I may be knocked down by unexpected curveballs that life has thrown at me, I know that my mom is always there to help me get back up and move forward. Whatever daunting task is before me, I know that I can rely on her to help me focus on the next step ahead rather than the mountain I am trying to scale. I know that I tend to be someone who prefers to endure hurt and hardship in silence, but even her quiet presence and reassurance through those times has been invaluable. I feel that some of the times where minimal words were exchanged between us, and she just sat with me in that pain, were some of the moments that gave me the most strength and comfort. This continued consistency and reliability has drawn me ever closer to God as well, knowing that the same reliability can be found in my heavenly parent too. Her character is one that models Jesus with his faithfulness and wisdom in his leading–being a safe and secure guide. The comfort I find in pain from her is similar to the comfort and peace I find in God when enduring hardship.
In big decisions like moving to Australia for a couple years and in small decisions like dyeing my hair or taking on a new project, I know that I can rely on my mom’s encouragement to pursue my passions and to be my authentic self. She truly has demonstrated to me that I should be my own unique self and work hard, even if others are going on a different path.
If you could give your mom any gift, no matter the expense or impossibility, what would it be?
I am so incredibly thankful to be blessed with a mom like her who celebrates my differences and encourages my pursuits. If I were to give my mom any gift in the world, I would love to bring the entire family together and travel. She never passes up an opportunity to see the grandkids and I know that she cherishes all of the time that we can be together as a family. I can’t imagine a better way to thank her for everything she’s done for all of us than to make more memories with her. To travel together would simply be an extension of what she showed us to value: being yourself with the ones you love and braving life together.
The post Mothers & daughters: a tribute to Darcy Johnson appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Kari KausShare a bit about yourself, your interests, and your stage of life.**
the Enger family, 2002I grew up in Rochester, MN with my parents and older brother. My dad worked at Mayo Clinic and my mom was a music teacher for Rochester Public Schools. During my first year of marriage, my husband Josh and I lived in St. Cloud, MN and I worked in human resources and hired care providers to help seniors stay at home in the stages of life when care became necessary. I decided that I wanted to be there for my parents when they approached that stage, so we relocated to Rochester to live near my parents. I didn’t think about how wonderful it would be to live by them as we raised our children, and that’s been a huge bonus to watch my kids grow up with such a wonderful and close relationship with their grandparents. I live just outside of Rochester with my husband Josh and our daughters Savannah (9) and Grace (5). We spend a lot of time outdoors in our large garden, and with our chickens, horses, dogs, and cats. I am enjoying the stage of life with elementary age children who are learning about their own interests and activities, and I especially love coaching Savannah’s basketball and soccer teams.
Share a core memory from your childhood.
One of my favorite memories of my childhood was having family dinners together. Since mom was a teacher, she was home early enough to make dinner and I remember sitting down together as a family for meals nearly every night that she had worked hard to prepare. Most of them included veggies my dad grew in the garden. I don’t recall sports or activities getting in the way of family dinner – it was a priority in our home.
What is something that you love and appreciate about your mom?
My mom is gentle, kind, patient, slow to anger, tender-hearted, loving, and nurturing. She is creative and clever. She spends spare time sewing doll clothes or recycling odds and ends to turn into tiny toys for the girls’ dollhouse and loves to sit and play with them, patiently entering into their world of imagination and creativity. They love to play with her. She’s an excellent seamstress and has fixed countless items of clothing, and has extended the length of many of my pairs of pants over the years to suit my height.
What is an activity you enjoy doing with your mom?
I enjoy planning and organizing with my mom. When it’s time to clear some clutter or organize a closet that has gotten out of control, my mom is always there to roll up her sleeves and make sense of the chaos. When it comes to hosting a gathering, we work so well together planning to host a big meal or event. We are both hard-working and responsible and we make a great team!
How are you similar and different from your mom?
the Kaus and Enger families, Easter 2024My mom and I are both introverts and thinkers. We need time to plan ahead, sort and manage details, and quiet space to process our thoughts. We like to keep things clean, tidy, and organized, and nothing is more satisfying than clearing off a “to-do” list. Apparently, we are similar in appearance, as we often hear how much alike we look. In some ways we are quite different! My mom is musical and has served the church with her musical talents, including piano and organ. In my family, there is a rule that no one can laugh when I sing, and you know rules aren’t made unless they are needed… so… that tells you about my musical abilities. Apologies in advance if you sit in front of me at church! I played sports instead. My mom doesn’t enjoy playing sports but she’s been a faithful fan to watch me play over the years, and now to watch Savannah. I am analytical and enjoy managing our family finances and budget, and my mom would find that quite boring. I love to work hard for hours in my garden, like my dad, until I’m covered in dirt, sunburned, sweaty, and exhausted; mom would rather be in the air conditioning away from bugs.
If you could give your mom any gift, no matter the expense or impossibility, what would it be?
That’s easy. I would give her time with her mother. Her mother, Judith Diane, died unexpectedly in childbirth when my mom was only five. Can you imagine the horror, of waiting to hear whether your new sibling was a brother or sister, but to instead receive news that both baby and your mother had died? She never got to say goodbye. Her mother was a nurse and it sounds like she was a delightful and kind woman. My mom has a framed image in her bedroom of a letter that her mother wrote. The content of the letter indicates that her mother was a devout believer and passionately followed God. It is one of the only connections she has to her mother. I am so proud of my mom; she is a remarkable, loving, and gentle woman despite the trauma she endured at such a tender age through the loss of her mother. Many of the difficulties she experienced after that significant loss could have easily produced an angry and bitter result, but by God’s grace, my mother is the opposite. Now that I have daughters, the agony of this tragedy hits me hard as I imagine how their lives would change if I suddenly died. Moms really hold a special, beautiful place in a family; it is a delightful privilege to be a mom. I would give my mom the gift of time with her mother, to hear her mother’s affirmation and affection and love for her, and to have the chance to say “goodbye” until heaven.
Kari Kaus is wife to Josh and mom to Savannah (9) and Grace (5). She balances taking care of her home and family with a career in human resources at a local financial institution. She serves at Calvary as a teacher in the pre-school/Kindergarten class and coaches youth sports. In her limited spare time, she enjoys playing board games with her kids, walking her dogs, reading with a cat on her lap, or working in her vegetable garden.
The post Mothers & daughters: a tribute to Diane Enger appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Interview by Elizabeth EckerPhilipa Jajata and her son, Daniel, have been staying with Chris and Karyn Grenz and their family this spring as Daniel receives care at Mayo Clinic through the Heart and Soul program. His heart surgery has been wonderfully successful, and after he returned from the hospital, Philipa spoke with me about their life in Hanau Village, Papua New Guinea, where she and her husband are career gardeners, growing and selling their produce at local markets. Daniel is a middle child; Philipa and Rick Nelson, her husband, are parents to Melton Troy (24), Clementina (21), Daniel (16), Ricky (13), Lucy (9), and the younger Melton Troy (4). The children help in the garden as needed, but Rick does the bulk of the gardening labor, much of which is very physical, such as clearing jungle for crops. Neighbors also help each other out when needed, like farmers in the States might do during difficult times. The weather during Philipa and Daniel’s stay in the United States has been chilly; they are used to a much warmer and humid tropical climate. However, they are getting more used to it each week, and the sunshine and spring rain has been a nice change from the snow they saw for the first time when they arrived!
We compared springtime planting notes: I head to the nursery to get seedlings, or if I’ve been ambitious enough to plan ahead, I plant those I have started in my home on a sunny windowsill. Philipa explained that a person couldn’t do that in PNG; there aren’t seeds for sale at the market or in stores. Instead, seeds are simply gathered from matured plants, or shoots and tubers are used to propagate new crops. The warmth, fertile volcanic soil (PNG is home to 14 active and 22 dormant volcanoes), and rainfall during several seasons of the year allow crops to thrive. The rainy seasons in PNG occur in December and July, while June is the hottest and driest month. During the rainy season, flooding occasionally happens, especially near Philipa and Rick’s garden, because it is close to the river. More than a foot of water might cover the garden for several weeks, but Philipa says that the plants don’t die during this time, because the root systems are strong and deep enough to withstand the deluge.
Several of the crops Philipa’s family grows would be familiar to us: watermelon, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes, and pumpkins. The tropical environment also allows for crops of bananas, taro, pineapple, kau-kau (the orange variety of sweet potato, though many others are grown in PNG), coconut, betelnut, mustard, lemongrass, and other cooking greens that are unique to this area. Philipa uses companion planting methods: corn, pumpkins, and watermelon are typically planted together, as are taro and bananas. Crops grow quickly and can be harvested in about half the time we might expect in Minnesota, but they do have seasons for tree fruit harvest, generally around Easter and then again around Christmas, following the rainy season.
I wondered about pest control: what types of creatures made gardening difficult? Their garden is quite large and unfenced, and it backs up to jungle, so on occasion, wild boars can get into the garden. Philipa explained that the jungle has most of the food these animals would need, so this isn’t a major problem. During some seasons, mice can get into the kau-kau vines and chew them up, and at times, both caterpillars and a type of black beetle with large jaws can ruin the taro plant vines and leaves. To protect the plants, they simply dig up a blighted section, or they use ashes from the fire to control pests, like we might use diatomaceous earth. People also occasionally wander into their garden to get food, but this isn’t considered stealing: “We have enough, and people sometimes just do this in a village.”
Philipa takes their produce to two markets, primarily. One is fairly close, but the other is 40 km away. Here, many vendors sell in open-air markets with long tables for produce, crafts, and other products. She enjoys this part of the gardening process, seeing others purchasing the things she and Ricky have grown with their own hands. Daniel occasionally sells the extra fish that he catches in the river or along the shoreline.
Something beautiful that Philipa shared is that when she plants her crops, she prays over them, asking God to bless them as they grow, to give her family and community food. “This is what I do,” she explained. “It helps them and me to grow.” I hear this direct, whole-hearted faith echoed as she tells me about how she has kept Daniel by her side, raising a son in difficult circumstances, where medical care was many miles from their home. “When Daniel was a baby, I would carry him with me in the day, and he would sleep sitting on my lap so he could breathe and rest. My mother showed me how to use yellow primrose to help him breathe, and this made him better when he would start coughing and getting sick. She was very good with this type of thing.” Like her family, Philipa is a gardener—a tender of plants, children, and her community. It has been a blessing to get to know her this spring!
Beth Ecker is a co-editor of The Stir and homeschooling mama of four wonderful kids, from 6 to 16. She loves finding ways to encourage others in their faith, family life, and educational opportunities. Beth enjoys a great cup of espresso, plants and green things, travel, excellent literature, and baking.
The post Cultural conversations: gardening in the tropics with Philipa Jajata appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Elizabeth EnglandSome of the most common comments I get as an artist are “That’s a painting? I thought that was a photograph!” or “How did you do that? I can’t even draw a stick person!” The good news for those people is that neither could I. I became interested in drawing when I was ten years old. It started out as something I just liked to do in my free time. I was not very good at it and most of the people that I drew turned out to be deformed stick people! I wanted my art to be realistic so this caused a lot of frustration. Through a lot of trial and error I did improve. I started drawing a lot! When COVID hit in my eighth-grade year, art quickly became almost all that I did. I changed to an online high school that allowed me to continue to spend a lot of time on art and I realized I wanted art to be more than just a hobby. I had the opportunity to tour the Great Lakes Academy of Fine Art and started thinking about the possibility of going to art school. A month later the Driftless Art Academy opened in Rochester, teaching realism oil painting. I was one of the first students to start taking classes at the Art Academy. I then completed two summer intensives (one hundred hours of painting in one month) and became a full time student at the end of my 11th grade year. I now spend close to thirty hours a week painting at the academy. I have been a full time PSEO student at RCTC this year and will graduate from the Minnesota Virtual Academy this month. In one year, I will complete my Associate of Fine Arts degree.
Oil painting of “Bailey”People always ask where my talent comes from. No, my parents are not artistic. I think that God has blessed me with a wonderful skill. God has also blessed me with a very supportive family. While I don’t think my artistic abilities came from my parents, I would not have continued without their support. They made it possible for me to go the academy, encouraged me to enter art competitions, and be in art fairs as well as cheering me up when a drawing or painting did not go as planned. My Dad is often telling me that he is my biggest fan!
In the past year I have had some exciting art opportunities. One of the main ones is being a full time student at the Driftless Art Academy. My painting skills have increased a lot since I started full time. I am very grateful have such a great art instructor now!
At the state fair with pastel drawing “The Lion of Judah” that won grand prize.Recently, I have been entering competitions and art fairs. Two highlights were winning grand prize at the Minnesota State Fair and Best Emerging Artist at Lanesboro’s Art in the Park. At the beginning of this year, I applied for my first scholarship with a national painting organization (Oil Painters of America) for portrait painting. At the end of February, I got a letter saying I won the scholarship. These opportunities are very encouraging!
Art has offered some interesting ministry opportunities. A friend of mine came to me recently asking if I would be willing to do a painting based on Psalm 91. She had a picture in her mind that symbolized Jesus’ love and protection that she wanted to see painted. When I showed her the sketch I created, she nearly cried seeing her vision on paper. I will be painting that commission this summer and I am looking forward to it.
My long-term goal is to become a professional artist and continue to develop the gift that God has given me.
Master Copy of William Bouguereau “Girl with Pomegranate”.
Elizabeth is graduating this year from high school and has one year left to complete her Associate of Fine Arts degree from RCTC. She plans to continue on at the Driftless Art Academy as a full-time student for at least one more year. If you would like to see more of her art, please come and see her exhibition at the RCTC Art Gallery on Saturday May 11th from 1-4 for her graduation celebration!
The post A cultivated passion for painting appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Deb JonesI have been married to my husband, Aaron, for 30 years. We met in Bible College. We have three grown children, Rachel, Caleb and Gabriel. Rachel is married to our son-in-law, Dylan. My greatest blessing is that they all know Jesus!
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived
I grew up on a farm in southwestern Minnesota where my family has lived for over 120 years. I loved being outside and tried hard to be involved in all the aspects of farming, especially the animals. I grew up riding and showing horses. One of my favorite memories is winning a high-point trophy at a horse show. Barrel racing was my favorite thing to compete in with my horses.
What is one important skill every person should master?
The most important thing people can learn in 2024 is to be content in the quiet. Getting off of/putting down the phone is so difficult for many people. They become agitated and have anxiety if they are not “doing” all the time. We need to learn to embrace silence and learn that it is not only okay but beneficial to be quiet.
Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at.
Piano! I have loved the piano and played for the last 46 years. God has given me a talent that could only be from Him. I am entering my 39th year playing in God’s churches and am so happy to be able to use my gift for Him.
This may shock some people, but I am also good with handguns. I am a part of a women’s group called Lipstick and Lead. We not only learn how to be safe and accurate with our handguns, but compete against each other monthly. I feel very strongly that women need to be aware of their surroundings and not to become a victim. We have women in the club who have been victims and do not want to go through that again. It is not for everybody, but my time at the gun range is special. The gun range has been a great place to minister to women as well! I love it!Piano! I have loved the piano and played for the last 46 years. God has given me a talent that could only be from Him. I am entering my 39th year playing in God’s churches and am so happy to be able to use my gift for Him.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? What was it?
I went back to school in my late 40s and began a new career. I am a medical coder for Olmsted Medical Center. It is a great job.
Just a few weeks ago, I started harp lessons. Never too old to learn!
What is something you have that is of sentimental value?
My father, who passed away in 2005 from colon cancer, always kept a diary. I have his diary collection dating from 1965 until his death. One of my favorite entries is on my birthday in 1971: The whole page is filled with farming details, which pig farrowed, etc. At the very bottom of the page it says, “baby born, 8:10 p.m.” My dad was the most patient and kind person I think I have ever known. I miss him.
Favorite bible verse? Psalm 73:28 (NASB) The nearness of God is my good.
The psalmist in the beginning of Psalm 73 has confidence in God but talks of his inner conflict watching the wicked prosper. How difficult it is to see that the wicked always seem to succeed! Charles Spurgeon speaks of the psalmist being in awe at the fate of the ungodly (v18-20) The psalmist then ends by saying, “The nearness of God is my good”. I want to always remember that God being near is the best thing for me, no matter what prosperity others seem to have.
What are your three favorite smells?
Horses, lilacs and old books.
Carol HollandHello! I’m Carol Holland. I’ve been attending Calvary since April 2018, when we moved to Rochester from Pearland, Texas (near Houston). I’m married to Rob, and we’ve been married for 22 years; this is a second marriage for both of us. I have two children from my previous marriage of 23 years. Rob and I moved here to be closer to my daughter, Sarah, and her family. Sarah and Jason have four children: Haley (15), Alyssa (13), Noah (4), and Erica (2). Their family is the light of my life. I spend a lot of time at their home each week watching and playing with the two younger kids while my daughter homeschools the two older girls. We’re so blessed to have this opportunity to live close to our grandchildren during this phase of our lives. Sarah and Jason joined CEFC last year, and it’s been nice attending the same church. My blessings truly overflow.
I also have a son, Brian, whose family moved from San Antonio to West Bend, Wisconsin eight years ago. With both of my children now in the “north country”, it didn’t make sense to stay in Texas. Brian and his wife Kaila have four wonderful boys, ages 9-16. We don’t see them nearly enough. Their family stays busy with sports, scouts, and camping. I’m happy to say that both Brian and Sarah are raising their children in the church and the children love Jesus.
I grew up in New Jersey and was the oldest of four children. I was blessed to be in a wonderful Christian home and grew up in the EFC church. I accepted Christ as my Savior at the age of 12 at a week-long Christian camp in upstate New York. In high school, we moved to Florida and then Texas. I married an Army officer at the age of 21, and the moving never stopped. I’ve made 18 major and 6 minor moves. I’ve lived in Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey (twice), Florida, Texas (four times), Maryland (twice), Germany, Thailand, Kansas (four times), and Minnesota. I’ve enjoyed living in so many parts of the world and seeing so much in the areas where we lived.
My hobbies include reading, antiquing, being a grandma, traveling and horses. Our household includes Rob and I and our two small dogs, Annie and Gracie. We adore these two little pups and laugh at their antics every day. They also serve as grandkid magnets! My husband Rob and I have been married for 22 years. Rob was also in the Army as a military lawyer and judge. After Rob’s 30 years in the Army, we moved to Houston so that he could teach in a law school there.
After going on many trail rides while traveling, my husband suggested I take lessons. Well, at age 65 I did just that. I was lucky to foster a horse for 6 months from Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch. When it was time to return him, my husband got me my own horse, Irving, for my birthday in 2021. I loved spending time out at the stables, grooming and riding Irving. Having my own horse was a dream come true.
In September 2021, I was riding with a friend, and it was both the best and worst trail ride I’d ever been on. I had a bad fall off Irving and was unconscious for a bit. Long story short, I broke my pelvis in four places and had a concussion. I had surgery that day to find my internal bleeding and to insert a rod through my leg to stabilize my pelvis. I had surgery to repair my pelvis the next day and stayed in St. Mary’s for two weeks and then moved to a rehab facility for four weeks. I was unable to put any pressure on either leg for three months. Afterwards, I had to do PT to re-learn to walk. My biggest take-away from this whole experience was seeing how God watched over me and how blessed I was to be able to walk again. I had so many people, like neighbors and people from CEFC, care for me and visit me, send cards and flowers, bring meals, and more. The love I felt from so many people was amazing, and I was truly blessed by so many. I could feel God’s hand in my recovery. One of my favorite verses, especially during this time, is Psalm 118:24: “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I thank the Lord each day for His many blessings and his watchful care over me.
The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Deb & Carol appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Kathy BergquistThe kitchen has always been my favorite place. My love languages are quality time and acts of service, so making food to share with family and friends is a way for me to show love. Precious memories of time with my mom, aunts, and grandmothers, laughing and sharing stories while preparing food, are all nestled in someone’s kitchen. I probably spent more time socializing than helping, but somewhere along the way I learned to follow a recipe. My mom was a wonderful cook. My parents loved to host dinner parties; Mom made all the food from scratch AND made it look easy. Some of my favorite recipes came from my mom, aunts, and grandmothers, others are from my sister-in-law and friends. Now I get to try new recipes from my daughters and kids-in-law as they introduce us to foods from other cultures. We have always loved Chinese food. Now we’re embracing Swiss Fondue and Raclette, Egg Curry, Coconut Rice, and Mango Lassis, Mexican rice, mango-avocado-salsa, and Horchata. Adult children (and their spouses) are awesome!
Kathy (r) and her momHonestly, it’s a good thing our kids have learned to make delicious main dishes and side dishes, because baking is what I most love to do in the kitchen. Cookies. Bars. Coffee cakes. Pies. Forget the healthy stuff, my sweet tooth is calling! Grandma Joyce’s chocolate chip cookie recipe has been my go-to since I first made it at 9 years old (that’s 50 years of cookie making!). When I went to Grandma’s house after school, she always had the coffee can, glass of milk, and playing cards on the kitchen table. I knew there were chocolate chip cookies inside that can, below a slice of bread put there to keep the cookies soft. When I was growing up I thought the bread trick was a family secret to keep cookies soft, but the Internet knows.
Pies have always felt special. Grandma Joyce’s banana cream recipe will forever be a family favorite. But when it comes to pie crust, my favorite memory is watching Grandma Edith make an apple pie for Grandpa. She didn’t use measuring cups or spoons, or even a bowl, to make the crust. She casually scooped the flour and sprinkled the salt, cut-in the shortening and added cold water right there on the counter, working quickly to prevent the ingredients from spreading further than she desired. Then she rolled out a perfect pie crust like there was nothing to it. I had no idea I was supposed to be intimidated by pie crusts. Why didn’t I ask Grandma Edith to teach me!?! Since I don’t have her recipe, I continue to search for the perfect one. I’ve tried shortening, lard, butter, and combinations, but my current favorite is on the box of Morrell lard. Sometimes I use half butter and half lard, but only when I want an extra rich crust.
Probably my fondest memory is of Mom making Auntie Dianne’s coffee cake for neighbors at Christmastime. The kitchen was warm, and scents of maple and cinnamon filled the air. Younger me didn’t have the patience for the long process of mixing, waiting, rolling, layering, cutting, and twisting the coffee cake so that it could rise one more time before baking, icing, and finally eating! Now that I have a family of my own, I have learned to love the long process. Auntie Dianne’s coffee cake is a family tradition for special occasions.
Since pies are really my favorite above all (cookies are a close second), I want to share this Lemon Supreme Pie recipe from Taste of Home. It’s light and fresh like springtime – perfect for Mother’s Day. The recipe link is below the photos. About the photos: recently I made 2 Lemon Supreme pies using Mom and Grandma Edith’s pie plates. The blue pie plate was Mom’s. The metal one was Grandma’s – it’s not as pretty, but it’s a workhorse! I treasure them both and cry a little each time I pull one out. Bittersweet. Mom and I made the dish towel when she was teaching me to use her embroidery machine last summer. It is one of the last projects we did together before she passed away last September. Also bittersweet, but it is my prayer for my kitchen.
Click here for the Taste of Home recipe!
Kathy Bergquist is wife to Tom, mom to 4 adult kids snd 3 kids-in-law, and Grandma to Amia. She is a retired homeschool mom. Kathy tutors reading privately and for The Reading Center, and co-coordinates the Wednesday meal team at Calvary. She loves all of her roles, but being Grandma is definitely the most fun!
The post Cooks of Calvary: kitchen memories with a slice of lemon pie appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Joanna VaughanMy name is Joanna Vaughan, and I am the first grade teacher at Schaeffer Academy. Spring in first grade is always an exciting time! Just like the bugs outside, first graders find so much joy in the longer days and warmer temps! While my idea of a good bug is a dead one, first graders love to collect any and all bugs. Enter science. We take our magnifying glasses outside so we can get a closer look at the intricate design that God used to create such a diverse population. Once we are back in the classroom, we recreate what we saw as we looked through the magnifying glasses. We create a grassy scene with lots of small bugs, and we zoom in on one bug through a paper magnifying glass to really show off the details. Want to try it with your little bug at home? Here are the basics:
- Start by creating a grassy scene.
- Add some small bugs of your choice.
- Make a magnifying glass out of black paper.
- Add a slightly smaller circle of white paper to the top of it.
- Draw a bigger bug than those already on your paper on the white circle.
- Then, shade the background to match the scene behind the magnifying glass.
This craft can be a springboard to your exploration of God’s world during this wonderful season!
Joanna Vaughan is a Rochester native and has called Calvary her home since Easter 2022. In the spring, you’re most likely to find her at the baseball field cheering on her son, Marcus. Her favorite thing about teaching first graders is watching them grow as readers. And all of the hugs!
The post Explore God’s world with your little bug! appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
November 11, 8am-noon, Fellowship Hall
The post Membership Class appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Special Needs Mom group meeting 1st Saturday of each month @ 9:00am
The post Special Impact Mom’s Group appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Wednesdays, 6:30 PM, room 106 - meets during school year
The post Series 33 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Sundays @10:45am, Beginning Sept 10th thru May 2024
The post Every Man a Warrior appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Did you know that Jesus used an illustration of a woman giving birth to comfort his disciples when he shared his plan about his death and resurrection?
The post From labor to the joy of the resurrection appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Tricia Whitehill has dedicated her life to fighting crime and evil by serving in the FBI.
The post How we labor: Tricia serves as an agent in the FBI appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Jeanie Michelizzi shares how a hobby farm and an open heart led to a thriving ministry.
The post How we labor: Jeanie shares the origin of RideAbility appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Patty Rose shares her love of working at Trader Joes.
The post How we labor: Patty smiles in the aisles appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Jill Pearson shares the story of riding her bike 500 miles across Iowa in July.
The post Laboring across Iowa: Jill rides RAGBRAI appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Pat Hallstrom shares a recipe for a special summer treat.
The post Cooks of Calvary: Pat makes pie on a stick appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
This month, get to know Rena Laack, our Faces of Calvary section.
The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Rena appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Kristi Muston welcomes us to the September blog, where we celebrate the various kinds of work God has called us to.
The post September welcome: how we labor appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
6th-8th grade Fall Retreat, October 27-29
The post Camp Victory Middle School Fall Retreat appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
OMF International
The post Melissa Warner appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
For kids in 4th or 5th grade, October 19 from 10am-3pm.
The post Jolly Trolley appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Saturday, September 16, 10am, in the Calvary EFC Sanctuary
The post Auditions for Forgiven: A Christmas Parable appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Outreach to the Portuguese speaking world, Porto, Portugal
The post António and Ana Maria Figueira appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Sunday, Sept 3; Sunday Sept 10; Between Services in the gym
The post Small Group Launch Sundays appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Wycliffe Bible Translators, Rochester
The post Ken and Jessica Olson appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Men's Conference Sept. 29 & 30 @ Calvary
The post STAND Men’s Conference appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Hello Calvary! Tonight is our last night in the Dominican Republic and I asked Caleb to share how he has seen God working on the trip personally: Over this trip, I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend much of my time with Sami, one of our translators. We have shared a room at…
The post Caleb’s Experience in the DR appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Kristi Muston welcomes us to the July blog, an issue that explores summertime and God's light.
The post Let the Son shine in: a July welcome appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Melissa Meyers shares her testimony about the summer camp that changed her life.
The post The summer camp that changed me appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
This month, we introduce two of Calvary's newest members: Mary Springer and Katie Yager.
The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Mary and Katie appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Deb Zeldenrust reviews Forty Autumns, a memoir written by Nina Willner, about living under the communist regime after the Soviets took control of East Germany.
The post Book Review: Forty Autumns appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Karen Howden shares her family tradition of 4th of July mud pie, along with the recipe. Perfect for a hot summer day!
The post Cooks of Calvary: a favorite summer pie recipe appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Jill Pearson shows you how to paint this fun 4th of July card with a few supplies.
The post 4th of July watercolor project for the fam appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Hello Calvary Family! I asked Justine to share how she has personally been impacted by her experience in the DR these past two weeks: Hi guys. I am currently avoiding an over-tired, over-sugared group of teenagers by writing this entry, and I think that’s definitely a way I’ve seen God work in my life tonight.…
The post Reflections from Justine appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Hello Calvary family! I asked two members, one from each team, to share how they saw God moving in their team or on the trip in the past two weeks. Naomi (Buenos Aires Team): This past week I have seen Jesus moving a lot, but one particular instance was the rain in Buenos Aires. We…
The post God’s Movement on our Trip appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Lake hangout at Chester Woods
The post Foundation Lake day appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Saludo Calvary Familia, This morning, Rick Mackey took a team of six people to visit the church in Boma. During the half hour drive on windy and steep roads, he gave us the history of the church. This morning a woman who had left the church returned and we got to be there on the…
The post Church in Boma appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Today is the day we really started working. First, we woke up and had a delicious breakfast, then we headed out to La Vid and Buenos Aires (our separate church sites). At La Vid we painted the back of the church, and tested some of the games we were going to be playing later. Painting…
The post A Day in the life from Jojo Chaco appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Made it to the DR safely!
The post We Made it to the D.R. Safely! appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
At Zumbro Ridge Estates, July 31-Aug. 4
The post Summer Serve appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Our DR team is leaving soon!
The post Leaving soon! appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Mystery Dinner HostsFriday, July 7, 6-9pmHosts: You can host any number of guests you’re comfortable with! Cook up an entree, and your guests will arrive with assigned side dishes or dessert. Just keep the guest list secret until they arrive!
RegisterMystery Dinner GuestsFriday, July 7, 6-9pmGuests: You and your family will be sent an address and an assigned side dish. Show up at the address on mystery dinner night to see who’s hosting and who’s having dinner with you! (Mystery Dinner Guest option is on a separate registration)
RegisterThe post Mystery Dinners appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Church CenterChurch Center is a Calvary attendee online resource. It is used for Calvary registrations, groups, online giving, child checkin and to view our online church directory. You can access Church Center via our Church Center website or by the Church Center mobile app. Try it out today!
Install our Calvary Church Center app onto your mobile device and speed-up the login processChurch Center AppUsing this setup link in your mobile browser, you’ll be prompted to download the Church Center app.
View Church Center HelpDetailed directions for installing the Church Center App on your mobile deviceUsing this setup link in your mobile browser, you’ll be prompted to download the Church Center app.
Church Center AppNote: iOS users may be prompted to allow Church Center to paste the link from their browser. You must allow paste to find your church.
Install the Church Center App on your iOS or Android mobile device and select “Get Started”
Now you will need to locate our church. The prompts may differ based on iOS or Android.
Open the Church Center App and tap Yes! Use the link.
When you open Church Center for the first time, you may be prompted to find our church using your location. If you allow your device to use your current location, it displays churches near you.
Click This is my church to confirm and continue the login process.
Once you’ve located our church, you can log in.
You can now use the Church Center app for Calvary registrations, groups, online giving, child checkin and to view our online church directory.
The post How to install the Church Center App appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Church CenterChurch Center is a Calvary attendee online resource. It is used for Calvary registrations, groups, online giving, child checkin and to view our online church directory. You can access Church Center via our Church Center website or by the Church Center mobile app. Try it out today!
What to simplify Calvary event registrations? Install our Calvary Church Center app onto your mobile device and speed-up the login process.
Church Center AppView Church Center HelpThe post Register via Church Center appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Kids’ Ministry Director (KMD) :: Position DescriptionClassification: Part-Time or Full-Time (20-30 hours per week)
Department: Ministry Staff
Reports to: Lead Pastor
Start Date: Immediately
Ministry Description The role of Kids’ Ministry Director is to develop and provide leadership and oversight to the adult teammates serving in KidMin (particularly on Sunday mornings), and to develop relationships with children and families.
One Sentence Job Description To create environments and opportunities in Kids’ Ministry for discipleship.
Characteristics/Qualifications* Vital and Growing relationship with Jesus Christ * Highly relational, hospitable, and people-focused; leads with a heart of a shepherd * Strong creative and problem-solving abilities * Strong organizational skills regarding scheduling, communication, delegation of responsibilities, and event planning * Ability to recruit and equip others to work together on various teams * Joyfully embraces membership at Calvary (upon hire) * 5+ years of ministry leadership experience preferred
Skill Set/Duties* Lead and manage the Kid’s Ministry team. Participate in weekly meetings to foster overall program excellence through communication, support, prayer, special events, and planning. * Manage and implement Sunday programs for grade five and below, including curriculum preparation, volunteer management, safety procedures and protocols, and facility use oversight. Additionally, the KMD will give oversight and some support to AWANA and Early Childhood as well. (AWANA and Early Childhood each have directors in charge of those areas, so oversight, but not hands-on support, is needed.) * Recruit, assimilate, train, and oversee volunteer teams for Sunday morning (in coordination with the Lead Pastor). * Approach Kid’s Ministry programming through the lens of family-equipping, fostering important partnerships with parents. Parents must be acknowledged, equipped, and held accountable as the primary spiritual disciplers of their families. * Ensure that volunteer staff is appropriately screened and background checked prior to beginning their volunteer positions. * Provide adequate communication of duties, schedules, and expectations to the volunteer teams. * Keep rooms, clean, safe & well-supplied. * Work jointly with the KidMin Team to plan and implement VBS. * Work closely with Student Ministry Team to accomplish shared goals. * Represent KidMin at Lead Team meetings. * Support other special projects, as time allows.
Hours & LogisticsWhile hours are flexible, for the benefit of the effectiveness of the KidMin team, it is expected that the majority of the work will be completed on-site at the church building on Sunday Mornings and Wednesday nights. An office space is provided. Because there is a high degree of calling volunteers with this position, it is understood that some work will need to be accomplished in the evenings and remote computer access will be provided. Note that this position will require the individual to work most Sunday mornings.
Reporting Structure and SupportThe KMD will be report to the Lead Pastor. He or she will be assisted by a great volunteer team, and two additional teammates in Kid’s Ministry (Awana Director, and Early Childhood Director).
To applyPlease submit cover letter and resume to Brian Martin at bmartin@calvaryefree.church.
The post Kids’ Ministry Director appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Jill PearsonBaby’s memorial spruce todayI remember the day we planted the tiny spruce tree in our front yard. Tears fell as Dave dug the hole and I gently loosened the roots and placed it in. We stood up, brushed off the dirt, and said a prayer over the knee-high evergreen, chosen as a memorial for a baby I had recently miscarried. Fifteen years later, the spruce soars 25 feet and brings a wistful smile to my face.
If I turn to face the opposite direction, I spy a gorgeous magnolia bush, bursting with prolific pink blooms. A compassionate friend from out-of-state had this plant delivered after we lost our 7-year-old dog, Bullseye, who died in my arms following a brief illness. The plant has flourished, and my friend’s kindness has inspired me to give similar gifts.
There is a sense of sacred redemption when something blooms and grows in the wake of loss and grief…
Bullseye’s massive magnolia…which brings me to our May theme, How We Bloom. This month, we celebrate women who have bloomed by the grace of God under challenging circumstances. We hear from Sara Chaco, who has broken generational curses to bloom as a wife, mom, and child of God. Ann Sheperdson shares the challenge of being uprooted from sunny Phoenix to frigid Minnesota, and Denise Songstad describes how she has learned to bloom and thrive as the mom of a special needs son.
Melissa Meyers reviews a new book by Calvary’s own Jody Pederson, regarding her life as a missionary in Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sue Nelson and Kailee Kolade give us a glimpse into their lives in our Faces of Calvary post. We honor Mother’s Day with a fun article from mother/daughter duo, Kelsey and Teresa Haugen, and we round things off with two delicious recipes and a “bloom where you’re planted” story from Ingrid Ansell.
May is also the one-year anniversary of The Stir. Boy, how time flies! As I browse the archives, I delight in all the stories that have edified us and built a sense of connection and community. We’ve published more that 125 articles, from testimonies and devotionals to recipes and book reviews, all written by Calvary women. And we still have SO many more women to tap!
We are taking off the month of June and will meet you back here in July! In the meantime, BLOOM WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED!
The magnolia’s very first bloom
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
Jill Pearson is co-editor of The Stir, wife to Dave, and mom to three young adults who have flown the nest but are easily lured back with an offer of dinner. She owns and operates Riverwood Studio, an art education business, and finds lots of creative ways to serve at Calvary.
The post How we bloom…a May welcome appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Sara ChacoMy salvation story is closely tied to my childhood. My mother left when I was 10 months old. My dad was/is not a believer. In my home, there were various forms of substance abuse and other addiction issues. By the time I was 3, my dad and Julie, the woman he lived with after my mom left, had broken up and she had moved out. She kept in contact with me, and when she got married again, she and her husband became believers. They took me to church and made a point to have me in their lives.
Sara and her dad, 1980My dad remarried when I was 4 and there was a distinct change in our relationship. I remember one day walking in a parking lot of Home Depot after they had gotten back from their honeymoon. I reached out to hold my dad’s hand and he said, “No, I hold Debi’s hand now.” Until then, it was always me and my dad. I was young enough that I was not aware of the drug use and other addictions he had. He was just my world. I remember my heart broke, and the first foundation of the lie Satan would whisper to me was formed that day: “You can always be replaced.”
I also remember when I felt God put a strong calling on my life that same year. I was crying in my bedroom and praying and asking God why my parents had rejected me, and His answer was that He was calling me to break the generational “curses” of my family…to be an example of a wife and a mother so that my children would NEVER feel the way I did. I would show them how much they were loved by showing them how much God loved them.
As you can imagine, growing up in that atmosphere, there were a lot of things that happened to me that should never happen to any child, and innocence was taken in multiple ways. However, I can testify to the power of the LORD: he never left me alone. He was always there for me. I felt His peace and love and safety no matter the challenges I faced.
Sara & JohnWhen I was 7 or 8, Julie found bruising on my body when I was at her home for the weekend and was concerned. She took some photos and reached out to my grandmother for advice and help. She was ignored as if nothing happened. One day not too long after that Ken, her husband, said to me that instead of taking a nap that day, we were going to read a story. He sat me down and read the book of Job to me. He looked me in the eye and said, “Sara, I cannot tell you why God has allowed these things to happen in your life. I do not have any answers I can give to make sense of it, but you must know that He sees you and he will bring good out of this .” Oh how that resonated in my heart! I clung to that truth and still do.
When I was 11, I was at a Calvary Chapel in Downey, CA when I officially accepted Jesus in my heart. It is strange to put it that way, because He was ALWAYS with me. I cannot remember not knowing Him, but when I was 11, I started to understand MY sin and not just see Him as my protector from others but also from myself. I needed a Savior from my sin, and that became clear to me that day.
Sara & John on their wedding day, May 26, 2003The word “bloom” is special to me (not just because it is one of Audio Adrenaline’s best albums in my humble opinion) because that is what God’s love does to our withered lives. When a flower does not have water and sunshine, it withers and fades. Our sin builds a wall around our heart, blocking out the beautiful rays of God’s healing light and the Spirit’s ability to quench our parched hearts. Christ has torn down that wall, and when we receive Him and His salvation, we BLOOM.
I have been able to share God’s love with others in a way that I would not be able to if I did not get planted in the spot I was. Our family today does not resemble anything close to what I was raised in. God has done that! His love, presence and peace are what has brought that beauty out in my life now.
When John and I met, we both had a very strong commitment to marriage. Before we even dated, when we were just two people hanging out, we both talked about how we would be different than our fathers were. God brought two broken people together to make a beautiful garden, where we can share His love not just with our physical offspring, but to many others who come to our home. Some pass through, and others have found their home with us, and they are family, and nothing will ever change that.
John, Sara, and their kids Naomi, Joseph, Myah, & Grace
Sara Chaco is the wife of almost 20 years to Pastor John, mother to her kids and whoever is in their home, leasing agent , and lover of Masterpiece Theater, Monet Chocolate, puppies and coffee!
The post How she bloomed: Sara’s testimony appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Denise SongstadIn 1999, Bob and I were living in Phoenix, AZ and expecting our first child. During a routine appointment we found out the child I was carrying had Spina Bifida. We learned about an experimental surgery being done at Vanderbilt University that would be able to close the opening around our baby’s spine while I was still pregnant. This would help to prevent further damage to his spine from the amniotic fluid. For the first time, Bob and I prayed together a prayer that was not a routine table prayer. I was a very new believer, and Bob was still uncertain of the truth God was teaching me through His word.
God led us to undergo the fetal surgery for our unborn baby at 24 weeks gestation. The surgery went well, and Aaron was delivered at 35 weeks. While Aaron was young, I was starting to grow in my faith and trust God in my life and my family’s life. I would occasionally meet with other moms and friends who recently gave birth to babies with spina bifida, and I would feel so encouraged. But the more we met, the more I knew something wasn’t right. Aaron wasn’t meeting his milestones like the other children. He would cover his ears and scream when another child would make a loud noise, and he would cringe when he would bite into foods like noodles or Jell-O and spit them out.
In 2001, we had moved to Minnesota, and two years later Aaron was diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder with developmental delays. The grieving process was deep. I decided that if God could raise Lazarus, God could and was going to heal my son. I decided to demand this from God until it happened. I knocked on God’s door every second I had and pleaded for three days and received a very clear answer from God: “I want you to have peace with this.”
It wasn’t audible, but it was obvious. I’ve never felt God so close as I did in that moment. God has not left me or Aaron on this journey. In fact, scripture is full of God’s sovereignty in disability. Every time I would come across a verse like Exodus 4:11 when God said “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the LORD?” my heart would leap with joy! God is in this! I don’t believe God gives special kids to special people. I believe God gives us more than we can handle so that we stop relying on our own strength and instead rely on His strength.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9. …We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.
God has encouraged and strengthened me in so many ways. When individuals include Aaron in their lives and acknowledge of him in their conversations, I receive one of the greatest gifts to my soul. I’m so grateful for the other seasoned special needs moms that motivate me by their perseverance and reliance on the Lord. There are many ladies at Calvary who might not have had much experience with special needs, yet they still seek to understand, support, and encourage me and my family. They are like a breath of fresh air.
For many years, I was able to participate in a Bible study for moms of special needs kids. This brought a great deal of relief as I saw that many of my struggles were shared with other moms. We also felt the deep joys when one of our kids would reach a goal that most typical kids would have met at a much younger age. The special needs mom’s Bible study will be meeting again at Calvary this coming fall of 2023…more details to come.
Now that Aaron is an adult, there are struggles that we don’t have anymore (like IEP’s) but, like any parent of an adult child, there are new struggles. Ours just look different. We still need to advocate, assist and help Aaron in areas of his life that are difficult for him to understand, such as times when it’s appropriate to exit through an entrance. When a door or sign says “Do Not Enter,” he is afraid that he’s breaking the law if he exits out of it. These types of scenarios can take a while to explain, as with a lot of individuals on the autism spectrum. This brings up occasional fears in me as I try to step back in areas that he is able to navigate independently like his work routine, and hope that nothing out of routine happens that day. Aaron also has daily medical routines due to his spina bifida that he needs some assistance with.
Rochester has some good programs for individuals with special needs through Park & Recreation Adaptive, Sled Hockey and Jenny Kruse Music Therapy to name a few. Music Therapy has been a great experience for Aaron. He especially loves the adaptive rock band that his teacher has put together. I have so enjoyed watching and hearing the progress he has made on the drums. Most other supportive programs like ABC and Possibilities are extremely short-staffed. Many of the support programs provide job coaches to help train or create job opportunities for individuals with special needs. This is creating some barriers to independence for many with disabilities.
So, if you see Aaron wearing ear buds or ear plugs in church, he’s not listening to music, he’s
trying to handle loud noises. You probably won’t see him writing notes with a pen in the
bulletin, instead he’ll use his iPad and let me copy from his notes if I miss anything!
Luke 14:13-14 – On the contrary, when you host a banquet, invite those who are poor,
maimed, lame, or blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you will
be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
The post The journey of parenting a special needs child appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
If you are a young adult, or know a young adult who is 18 to 20something years old, you are invited to join us for our Foundation Summer BBQ Kickoff. It will be at the Ansell family’s house , starting at 5pm and ending whenever folks want to head home. Come right around to the backyard when you arrive! There will be food & snacks, lawn games, and a bonfire with s’mores in the evening.
The post Foundation Summer BBQ Kickoff! appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Objective: In pursuit of Calvary’s value to “Multiply Healthy Leaders,” Family Ministry will have an Internship program for the Summer of 2023. In doing so, we strive to create a win-win situation for both Calvary and our interns; Calvary benefits from additional help in Family Ministry, and interns benefit from mentoring and practical ministry experience.
Who: Our interns will be selected students who have:* Shown responsibility in past serving roles, including ability to complete tasks assigned * Demonstrated specific skills in any of the following: video filming and editing, graphic design, stage design/art, teaching, worship leading, or communications * Students who have adequate transportation and are age 16 and above * Priority will be given to students who currently serve in campus or church ministry roles and/or who have aspirations of vocational ministry.
Expectations: Wednesdays: Noon-3:00pm for team meetings and tasks (June 28-Aug 9) + Noon-3:00pm on June 28 and July 5 (6 hours) + Noon-10:30pm on July 12, 19, 26; Aug 2, 9 (52 hours) * Help plan and execute youth group (Wed evenings) and events as applicable * Serve on Sunday mornings in KidMin (Early Childhood and/or Elementary) 3-5 times during the summer (5ish hours) * Complete weekly leadership readings (10 hours total) and engage in discussions * Communicate which weeks he/she is gone/not attending * Complete Enneagram assessment(s) (2 hours) * Facilities hours (15 hours) As time allows
Compensation:$1000 stipend for the summer; about 85-100 hours of work.
Objectives (interns will:)* Increase self-awareness, awareness of gifts (and weaknesses), and how to use giftings in ministry * Aid in planning and processes for ministry events and calendars * Lead and receive feedback on teaching opportunities (if desired) * Experience a broad array of church activities, programs, and experiences
Application:To apply, simply send your answers to the following questions, along with your contact information, to bmartin@calvaryefree.church by May 1, 2022.
- What value can Calvary receive from your gifts and talents?
- What value can Calvary add to your life through this internship?
- Which assigned times are you not available/out of town?
Complete W-4; complete background check form (if not on file) and applicants must be able to drive (have a valid driver’s license)
The post Internship Program 2023 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
by Melissa MeyersWhile they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Luke 24: 4-6a
He has risen! For a Christian, those three short words capture the essence of our faith. For it was on that Easter morning long ago that God’s plan of redemption was fulfilled…a plan that impacted my life personally at a summer Bible camp on the shore of Lake Koronis when I was twelve. For the first time in my life, though I had been raised in a church, I understood that Christ was offering me something I had been deeply searching for…unconditional love and an offer to be part of God’s family.
It took me years to unpack that decision I made at the age of 12, when I confessed my sins and realized that above all else, I didn’t want to live a life without God. I said, “yes” to Jesus then, and I have spent many years since saying “yes.”
In this month’s blog, we are celebrating the redemption stories that Easter brings! We have three wonderful women, Christy Reed, Bonnie Erpedling and Carol Boyd, who share their testimonies. I love that all three of them came to faith through people reaching out to them or by displaying simple acts of faith. What you do matters, even when you think it is small. Then Heather Cheney shares about a curse and a health crisis that God walked her and her family through during her time in Kenya.
The beauty of the Easter season is saturated in symbolism, and for younger children with concrete thinking this is so important. Elizabeth Walby shares how to make a resurrection garden with your kids or grandkids, while Jessica Olson blesses us with her story of how celebrating the Passover Seder and the tangible symbolism brought up questions that lead her son Peter to faith. Kristi Muston introduces us to a historic Christian book series by Roseanna White, and Diane Enger shares a tasty Easter treat. We get to see behind the scenes of two more of our lovely Calvary ladies, Dianne Orth and Martha Renaud, who both have such unique stories. May this Easter season bring you a greater understanding of the power of the resurrection in your own life.
HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Melissa Meyers is co-editor of The Stir, wife to John, and mother to Malcolm (17) and Emily (14). She is a Neonatal Nurse and Creative Writer. She is the author of, Beneath the Ancient Dust: Inspirational Stories from Nine Years in Afghanistan. At Calvary, she enjoys teaching on Thursday mornings at Renovare. Her hobbies are coffee, reading, and taking long walks. She will accept an invitation out for coffee anytime.
The post Welcome to a celebration of Easter appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Meet Dianne Orth Describe yourself in 5 adjectives.
Girl-gone-gray, hospitality, networker, pastoral support, Mimi
Tell us about your family and how long you’ve been at Calvary.
Dianne with her husband Pastor Larry I have been at Calvary 21 years, ever since as a widow with 3 kids, “we” married widower Pastor Larry and his daughter. My late husband, Dave, died in an avalanche while snowmobiling with friends in the Tetons. Larry’s wife, Tammy, went to be with the Lord after a 10-year battle with cancer. As a blended family, our oldest, Macai, married our former lead Pastor Todd Olson’s oldest son Luke and they live in N. St Paul with their 5 kids, aged 9 to 1. That’s how I got my name “Mimi.” Renee is married to Connor Cabalka, who also grew up at Calvary. They got married after schooling on opposite coasts and now have 3 little girls, ages 4, 2, and 10 months, and live in Plainview. My #1 son (my only son!) Ben, wife Brittney, and 11 mo. old daughter live in Spokane, WA, while he finishes a nurse anesthesia program. Our youngest, “baby” Becca and Sam temporarily live outside Los Angeles while Sam is in seminary. They gave us grandchild #10, a girl born in August.
Share a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I grew up in Des Plaines, IL, with faithful, steady parents and one sister who is about 3 years older. In my late teens, I had a summer job commuting to an office in Water Tower Place on Michigan Ave, in the heart of downtown Chicago. I knew I didn’t want to be a nurse working downtown, so I was glad when the door opened to come to Rochester for an internship in 1986 and start work here in 1987.
If you had no limitations, what would you do with your life?
Host a Care-BnB and have the weather be nice enough to sit in Adirondack chairs and gab away with guests. Oh, and I’d like to be in the mascot suit for a big sporting event.
What are you most passionate about?
I’m passionate about facilitating care for people and connecting them to others’ giftings. I get to do this at church through coordinating hospitality, particularly with the Children’s Heart Project families. As a Mayo outpatient GI “hepatobiliary” (chronic liver disease, hep c) nurse, I love to see patient’s issues resolved and questions answered.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Taking walks or riding bikes with my honey Lawrence George (aka Pastor Larry, “L. G.”) on the Douglas Trail and getting back to pickle ball with Calvary people.
Orth Family Christmas 2022 What is your favorite holiday tradition?
My favorite holiday tradition is having all the kids and local grandparents (my late husband’s parents and sister-in-law) to the house for Christmas and reading with my best Brooklyn accent The Last Straw, about the camel who despite his joint pain, gout, and sciatica brought a big load of gifts to the baby King. Many thanks to L. G. for his every day and holiday cooking talents!
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly everyday.
I sit in the corner living room chair and do my daily Bible reading, and later in the day, I drink one can of Diet Coke (it’s my worst addiction!).
If you could live in any sitcom, which would it be?
Laverne and Shirley (for those who can remember: 1976-1983)
What do you appreciate about Calvary, and where do you serve?
I appreciate the people at Calvary! My favorite hours of the week are when we cross paths in the lobby or gym, hosting small group and evening Renovaè, bringing kids to the Wednesday evening family meal, and helping with the kitchen-clean up, and even popping in to Thursday morning Renovarè “opening” when I can. I serve on the Usher Team so I can see who’s new, hope they feel welcome and get connected. Behind the scenes, I coordinate Rochester Christian Hospitality Network (RCHN) which offers free guest room stays to dozens of Clinic patients and their families each year, as well as coordinate Calvary’s annual hosting of Children’s Heart Project groups. By the way, if you readers are interested in RCHN or CHP, please contact me! Calvary will be hosting for CHP 3 five-year-olds from Bolivia early May through June!
Meet Martha RenaudTell us about your family and how long you’ve been at Calvary.
My husband, Tom, is the tallest man at Calvary, but more importantly, he is gentle, listens well, and loves Jesus. We met via eHarmony when we were in our mid-30s, and to our delight, God has gifted us with three children. Mary (age 4) loves books so much she sleeps with a stack every night. Isaac (age 2) is expressive and likes to empty boxes. Stephen (8 months) is big in body and heart!
In 2019, we moved to Rochester from Colorado Springs and joined Calvary shortly thereafter.
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I grew up the middle child of seven on a turkey farm in Sleepy Eye, MN. After attending University of Northwestern in St. Paul, I moved to Colorado Springs to become assistant editor of Brio magazine for teen girls. My high school English teacher once encouraged me to try a journalism class, and over time, that field turned into a 15-year career for me.
If you had no limitations, what would you do with your life?
I’d volunteer more in addition to raising a family.
What are you most passionate about?
Sleep. I’m in a tiring stage of life right now, and I’m very passionate about getting adequate rest.
What is your favorite outdoor activity?
I used to like picnics until last summer when we were attacked by bees at Oxbow Park. Isaac was stung twice. He and Mary still talk about it all these months later. This summer I’ll leave the PB&Js at home.
What is your favorite holiday tradition?
I like the tradition of a festively decorated table for whatever the holiday is. My mom taught me that a pretty napkin and a party favor at each setting is the beginning of a great occasion.
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly everyday.
I love holding, kissing, and squeezing a baby.
What do you appreciate about Calvary, and where do you serve?I appreciate volunteers like David Henry, Amy Holty, and Susan Hansen who faithfully serve in children’s ministry most Sundays. Their consistency and love for children are gifts to our family. I serve in Calvary’s nursery on occasion and am a table discussion group leader for Pre-K Moms (formerly known as MOPS) at Christ Community Church.
The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Dianne and Martha appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
-symbolism of the feast of the unleavened bread
by Jessica Olson
The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” Mark 14:16-18
Jessica’s children holding Matzah, unleavened bread.Every year, in our home we like to hold a Passover Seder – a carefully organized, traditional Jewish feast that recognizes how God delivered the Hebrew people from sin and slavery. We remember our blessings, and we reflect over the following symbols of the Seder plate:
- Karpas, or green vegetable, reminds us of how the Hebrew people flourished.
- Beitzah, or roasted egg, is reminiscent of the festival offering.
- Zeroa, or shank bone, stands for the sacrificial Lamb.
- Haroset, or sweet paste, represents the bricks and mortar of slavery.
- Maror, or horseradish, lets us taste of the bitterness of slavery.
- Salt water symbolizes tears.
- Matzah exhibits the body.
- Red wine represents the blood.
My favorite part of the Seder is matzah, or unleavened bread. It’s bruised, pierced, and broken – just as the Messiah’s body was bruised, pierced and broken. During the Seder, three matzah are wrapped in a cloth and hidden away, just as the Messiah’s body was wrapped in cloth and hidden away. At the right time, the children go searching for the hidden matzah.
That’s when, not long ago, my son Peter began to ask lots of questions. Who was the Messiah, really? What did he do to deserve death? When did he die? Where did he die? How was he buried? Why do we see Jesus hanging on the cross in all the cathedrals in town?
Peter was fond of picture books, so as a first step, we re-read stories of Jesus from our children’s Bible. The most helpful tool, however, was something called an Evangecube. It’s a block about the size of a Rubik’s Cube. It contains a series of pictures of Jesus life, death, burial, and resurrection. I opened the cube and showed Peter each picture. When we reached the image of the empty tomb, Peter spoke up. You mean to tell me that Jesus is alive? He’s not hanging on that cross anymore? He breathed a sigh of relief.
I didn’t hear anything more from him on the subject until Easter Sunday. That day we went to church. We stood at the back of the sanctuary, sang hymns with the congregation, and listened to the sermon together. When the service was over, Peter turned to me and smiled. Light filled his eyes. He was overcome with joy.
I can put my faith and trust in Jesus now, Mom, because I know that he isn’t dead. He’s alive.
What are we doing this season to make the message of Passover a tangible one? Let’s not only think about how God has delivered us from the slavery of sin. Let’s taste, feel, hear, smell, and see it, too!
Jessica Olson works as an Administrative Assistant for SIL, serving Central African Republic remotely. She has served as a biblical exegete for SIL and the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) in Mamfe, Cameroon. She’s also served as a publicity writer and photographer for SIL in Dallas. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. She’s the mother of four children who are active participants in Calvary Kids and Youth Group at Calvary Evangelical Free Church. She loves to encourage others through creative compositions, textile art projects, Latin dance, interpretive dance, songwriting and singing.
The post Celebrating the Passover Seder appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Life EventsShare your and your immediate family's life events with the Calvary family.Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.NameFirstLastEmailLive Event Birth * Bereavement * Change of Address * Wedding * Graduation Open House Live Event Details Submit The post Life Events appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The post Palm Sunday Prayer Gathering appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
The Mission Marketplace is a fundraising event for the Dominican Republic team where team members are offering services, crafted items, baked goods and a wide variety of commodities to raise support and awareness for the team and our mission to serve the local churches in the D.R.
The post Missions Marketplace appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester MN.
Meeting about membership for Current Members of CalvaryMarch 11 :: 8:00am-Noon :: SanctuaryAttend 11th or 18th, not both
RegisterMarch 18 :: 8:00am-Noon :: SanctuaryAttend 11th or 18th, not both
RegisterMeeting about membership for NEW members of CalvaryApril 15 :: 8:00am-Noon :: Fellowship Hall
First opportunity for NEW members
RegisterCLASS is FULLWe will contact those signed up on the waitlist with information regarding the time, date and registration link for our next membership class, or to let you know if space becomes available in this class.
The post Membership Classes appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Kristi MustonI first discovered Elevation Worship’s song “The Blessing” during the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic. A friend of mine shared the link to a performance of the song on Facebook, and I immediately fell in love with it. Shortly after that, I heard it frequently played on the radio, and I found myself returning to the song over and over again. “The Blessing’s” lyrics are straight out of the Old Testament—Numbers 6:24-26, Exodus 20:6, and Exodus 33:14, among others— and at a time of social isolation and virtual worship, the words and music of “The Blessing” washed over my soul. Even today, the words continue to fill my spirit with God’s truth.
Several months after “The Blessing” debuted, Elevation Worship released a global choir rendition of the song. Listening to men, women, and children from all over the world praise God together brings me straight to the throne room of God described in Revelation 7:9. Check out the song below.
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb…”. ~Revelation 7:9
Video credit: Furtik, Steven, et al. “The Blessing (Global Choir): Live from Elevation Ballantyne: Elevation Worship.” YouTube, Elevation Worship Publishing, 11 May 2020, https://youtu.be/y9EK8dAXl6I.
This video embodies the unity of the Christ’s Church in worship, and this example of international collaboration is one of the blessings to come out of the pandemic. During a time of worldwide social isolation and fear, the Church came together in new ways to worship God. Just like churches across the world, Calvary also found new ways to continue to build community and share the gospel during the pandemic, and has continued to do so since.
March’s edition of The Stir celebrates the diversity of our Calvary community. Each week, our church also brings together the nations in worship. On Sundays, the Lahu, Anywaa, and Oromo worship communities gather for worship and fellowship. Calvary supports international missionaries and supports the nations here in Rochester through community outreach. In this issue, we will meet two of our missionaries, and learn about Jessica Olson’s work in bringing the Bible to the nations. Several Calvary women reflect on the friendships they have built through their service to local refugee ministries. Mala See shares a traditional Lahu recipe. Our church cares for all people, both in our community and around the world.
Women from Calvary’s worship communitiesOur stories this month reflect God’s faithfulness, even amidst challenges. Caroline Church’s challenging journey to citizenship reminds us to trust in God’s plan, and Melissa Meyer’s reflection on her time in South Asia points to the importance of the simplest prayers. Victoria Akama reflects on God’s faithfulness during her international move and her challenging road to motherhood. Finally,Melissa Meyers and Jill Pearson each share a review of a memoir featuring women overcoming significant persecution.
We hope you enjoy learning about Calvary’s various international ministries and members this month. As we await spring, may God bless you, walk beside you, and fill you with his peace.
Kristi Muston
Kristi Muston has lived in Rochester for almost a decade. She is married to Michael and mother to Sophia. After teaching English for 9 years, Kristi is now a stay-at-home mom. In her spare moments, she loves reading, running, and eating dessert. At Calvary, she co-edits The Stir blog, and is involved with the worship team and Renovare.
The post March welcome appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Caroline Church“My child, the troubles and temptations of your life are beginning, and may be many; but you can overcome and outlive them all if you learn to feel the strength and tenderness of your Heavenly Father….” Marmee March to Jo March (my kindred spirit).
Chris and Caroline’s wedding in Northern Ireland on July 4, 1997When I headed to the USA in 1994 to work as an au pair, I had no idea the direction my life would take. Looking for connection, the local pastor, who I had just met, invited me to start a social group and gave me a list of names and phone numbers. One of those calls was to Chris – we talked for a couple of hours on that first call and arranged to meet. We both admit we were interested to see each other in person, and Chris will also admit that for the first half of the call he thought I was someone he had met in Germany …. then we met. And all romantic notions immediately fizzled for both of us. But it was the start of a great friendship and of a new social group here in Rochester, MN. We eventually did get together and got married a few years later, but that’s another story.
Chris returns from deployment in 2006In 25 years of marriage, we have had many self-inflicted trials, but occasionally situations were out of our control. Most of those times seemed to involve the government as Chris was a US soldier and I was from Northern Ireland, so immigration and complicated government systems became a central part of our relationship and growth. But I still never expected deportation to be in the cards.
I don’t want to forget the feeling of helplessness, though for too long it was entwined with anger and frustration. I naively thought I would breeze in, resolve the issue, and we could all move on….
Caroline receives citizenship!In 1999 I received a letter from Immigration that they were behind and wouldn’t be scheduling my interview for 2 years. We moved states and submitted our change of address. About 1 year later I received a second letter, forwarded from our old address. Paraphrase follows: “Due to the fact that you have not shown up for your two previously scheduled interviews, all your rights and privileges in the USA have been terminated effective immediately.”
Northern Ireland tripThe overriding memory from every visit to immigration was of the grief around us and the sense of dread within us. Many were crying and pleading in broken English or their native language. English was our first language (let’s be real, it’s my only language), and we still couldn’t make sense of what was happening to us. One person was assigned to my case, but we were never allowed to meet with him. His theory was that as I’d received the last letter, I had obviously seen the others and chosen to ignore them. They sent letters for two interviews to our previous address, which we never received as it was illegal for immigration mail to be forwarded. (Who knew?). We are still so thankful to God that the final letter somehow made it to us in Texas. The day before we received that letter, we had driven through a border patrol checkpoint and for whatever reason, they only asked for the driver’s ID. So thankful for protection before we knew it was needed.
Meanwhile, a friend had sent us a book about Joseph’s life in a strange land and the false accusations hurled at him. There’s no mention of Joseph fighting for his innocence or justice, just that “the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor…” It also referenced Jesus’ time on earth and his response to the lies and mockery he endured in his final days. I am not saying our situation was on a par with those, but God spoke to the many parts of me He was refining: my anger, my idea of justice, and my indignation – pride really when it comes down to it. With this on our minds, Chris and I believed that whatever happened, God was asking us to trust Him and remain silent. It took 4 months, but finally we were called into the office of the person deciding my future. He was standing looking out the window. He didn’t acknowledge us, didn’t tell us why we had been summoned – was I leaving or staying? When he asked for all my paperwork was the only time he spoke until he returned my passport with a new visa attached and a warning to make sure I showed up next time. (Footnote: staying silent was tough).
The Church family, pc: Midwest LifeShotsWhy does any of this matter? God has used many situations in my life to draw my eyes off myself and onto Him. When I feel helpless, I remember to lean into Him. He has connected me with others who have felt the same frustrations, grief, joy, and sometimes loneliness from being in another culture.
Where am I from? My life started in Belfast, Northern Ireland where my family still lives. Where is my home? Where God has placed my family and I for this season. Who is my family? Chris (Army Hubbie), Eli (Army son), Ciara, Annie, Josiah (resident teens) and all those we get to share our lives with, from all over the world our God created.
How’s the refining going? There are lots more chapters to this book and some still to be written.
Caroline is wife to Chris and Mum to 4 – all of whom have managed to become fluent in other languages while she still struggles with American spelling and pronunciation. She recommends watching the movie Belfast and reading Little Women. Not connected but both valuable.
The post A challenging road to citizenship appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Victorie Dede AkamaEditor’s Note: I (Kristi) first met Victorie last winter when we carpooled to Renovare together. We instantly connected as new moms, and swapped infant/toddler stories each week. Victorie has so much joy and friendliness, and a beautiful story to share.
1. Please tell us about your family and how long you have been at Calvary.
I am from Togo and have been living in Rochester for almost three years. My husband’s name is Ablam and we have a two-year-old son named Israel. Ablam is a machine operator at Seneca Food, and I work at Walmart and am home with Israel. We have been at Calvary for almost two years.
Victorie with her husband Ablam and son Israel2. What led you and your husband to emigrate to America, and why Rochester, MN?
My husband was the one who came to the USA first. He came in 2014, when we were engaged. He came by the Diversity Visa program. He came back to Togo in 2017, and we got married before he started the process for me to come and join him. It was a long process, and I finally joined him right before COVID.
3. What has been the biggest challenge (or challenges) adjusting to life in America?
I have faced several challenges in adjusting to life in America. The first one is the language difference. French is my first language, which makes it a bit difficult to communicate and be understood in English. Secondly, the lack of transportation is a challenge. Life in America is totally different from the one in Togo in terms of means of transportation. Here, it is challenging not to have a car of my own. It is challenging to be dependent on someone else for driving, or having to take an Uber, which is so expensive. And last, it is hard not having my family around, especially for help watching my son whenever I have an appointment or something else to do.
4. How did you find Calvary? How has God helped you find Christian community?
I can say God has His way of doing things. My husband was an Uber driver, and one day, he picked up one of the Calvary pastors. The pastor gave Ablam his card and invited him to the service the following Sunday. This was in 2019. And in 2020, he picked up another Calvary member who invited him to Easter service. We went together, and we decided to be part of the Calvary community.
5. What has God shown you about his character over the last couple years of transition?
God has shown me His faithfulness over the last few years. For example, the birth of my son is a miracle. Before getting pregnant with Israel, some doctors said any pregnancy will surely end up a miscarriage, and others said it will be a very difficult and high-risk pregnancy because I have fibroids.
When I got pregnant, it was not easy. It was so painful from the beginning. I took a lot of pain relief and went to the ER many times. At three months, I started bleeding, but everything still looked good, and I stopped after a few days. We kept praying and God was always with us.
At 24 weeks, I had a rupture of the membranes with no contractions. I was kept in the hospital for five weeks, and doctors said I will need a C-section because of the location of some fibroids. Israel was born on Nov 7, 2020, at 29 weeks. He spent 45 days at NICU before we came back home. He is now 2 years old and full of joy. In all that long journey, God has never failed us. As He said in Joshua 1:5b, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” It was not easy, but we made it through with Christ!
And you know what? Today (Feb. 22), I am currently 24 weeks and 3 days pregnant, which is the same gestational age I was when my water broke for Israel. And today, I am telling the story. That sounds crazy. God is and still is faithful.
6. What have you missed the most about Togo since moving here?
I still miss my family a lot. But thankfully, we have social media so we can chat and see each other whenever we want to.
7. What is one of your favorite things about living in Rochester (or America in general)?
One of my favorite things about living in America is that I can easily continue my studies. I can become anything I want to regardless of my age. I can achieve my dream, which is to become a nurse helping the elderly.
Victoire Akama was born and raised in Lome, Togo. She is married to Ablam and mother to Israel. She recently moved to Rochester to join her husband Ablam. She is passionate about cooking and loves exploring, traveling, and documentaries.
The post From Togo to Minnesota: an interview with Victoria Akama appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Two Calvary women share how they serve and benefit from this meaningful ministryAngie SchatzOur experience with working with refugees and other displaced people started about 4 years ago, and then we found opportunities to help after the Afghanistan evacuation. Catholic Charities and Arrive Ministries were looking for groups to support Afghan families that were coming into Rochester. Through those programs we were able to learn about different refugee experiences and processes and ways to help. We were “assigned” a family and needed to help them get established with medical, school, employment, English and adjusting to life here in Rochester.
A feast from the Afghan refugees in appreciation of helping them navigate their first year in AmericaThrough the process we were able to see the needs that came about since we were “boots on the ground”. What started out as meeting a family’s needs has grown into a very close bond and friendship. We also were able to meet other families that needed help navigating life here in America.
I would say right now we are very involved with 3 families. There are so many ways to serve, but I think what naturally comes about is a friendship and a feeling of being a family. They will call when they are happy, sad, have exciting news, or need to navigate something. As the friendships grow deeper, they open up and we talk about many difficult and horrific experiences just like what would happen when you become friends with someone here. We talk about our differences in beliefs which is really interesting. It seems as though the mission field was brought to us here in Rochester. A common question is “why do you do this?” Such a great open door to have those deep talks.
I have so many funny stories due to translation issues. One of my favorite texts was one that said, “Angie, come quick my son is dead!” We weren’t sure what to expect, so we rushed over there instead of trying to deal with google translate. Another was when a child had a problem with their “private part” and she sent me a picture of it and said “what is going on?” I went over there and said, “You can’t send me these kind of pictures.” We laughed together.
The most important thing I think about when working with others, whether refugees or not, is considering how I would feel in their shoes. What help would I need, and how would I want to be treated? Often it is the little things they need help with that make large impacts. The goal is for them to be completely self-sufficient, which is what we would want if we were in their shoes.
Honestly this may sound strange, but I don’t really think about the refugee part as much as how they are a person put in my path who needs help with something and how I can help them. One of the biggest things I have learned is to stop and pray before acting. So many times I would think about the big picture and get overwhelmed by all the moving parts, while God was showing me I needed to just stop and rely on Him. He is the one the does it; we are just the hands and feet. Since I am a planner, he sometimes needs to knock me over the head a bit with this concept, however, I have seen it play out time and again. God’s hand has intervened in so many ways with these families that I could not have done on my own. So honestly, helping refugees and others I believe is God’s way of using us, but more importantly growing us, in our walk with Him. Although these families may think we are blessing them, I believe God is using them to bless us.
Janet IsleyRefugee ministry was not on my radar. I was recently retired and open to a new ministry, but I assumed God would want me to “stay in my lane” with ministries that were familiar to me. But God surprised me with guidance toward this new opportunity, and I am very thankful that He did. I have been blessed and stretched in ways I would never have imagined.
Janet and DorcasIn October of 2021 I was introduced to Paul (Hassan), Dorcas (Riziki), and their four girls. I learned that they had recently arrived in Rochester from Uganda, but parents were originally from the Congo. They liked our church and wanted to keep attending Calvary if they could; however, they did not have a car or drivers licenses. A refugee team was already in place at Calvary to assist them, but more drivers were needed. Two cars were needed each Sunday for transportation. I prayed about it and decided that I could join the team as a Sunday driver.
Through rides to and from church, friendships grew along with insights into other needs the family had. Due to the ages of their children that year, parents had connections to Head Start, Riverside Elementary, Kellogg Middle School, and Century High School. Information and connections with each school were sometimes challenging to parents due to the language barrier and lack of experience with our public education system. Since I was a retired teacher with Rochester Public Schools, I gradually realized that I was in a unique position to serve as a liaison between parents and school staff. Who knew? God did!
Paul, Dorcas and their 5 daughtersIt has been a privilege to help the family in this way and also to provide transportation to school functions that they might not otherwise be able to attend. One highlight was attending the preschool graduation of their daughter Israela at Head Start. Neither parent could take off work that day, so I was able to attend as a friend and take videos to share with parents. Another special experience was helping Olga apply for and then go through the onboarding requirements for a summer internship opportunity at Mayo Clinic offered in conjunction with the NAACP. Other memories included attending Prophecy’s choir concert and helping Milka and her mom attend meet the teacher night at Kellogg.
Many shared experiences with the family have been filled with fun and laughter. These have included shopping trips, singing Moana songs in the car, eating their favorite foods on New Year’s Day, attending a baby shower for their new daughter, bringing baby Acsa home from the hospital, introducing the girls to my dog, and playing the Jenga game. Since my own children and grandchildren live far away, it has been an unexpected blessing to “share life’ with this family in Rochester.
Time for Jenga!As you can see, my experience with Dorcas and Paul and their 5 girls has developed into more than just rides to and from church. As new opportunities to help the family became apparent, I had to pray about each step and what my participation level should be. I learned that each team member has special strengths to share, and no one person needs to do it all. I learned that the goal is helping the family become independent and helping them learn how to do things on their own. I learned that sometimes I need to say no or refer them to a different person as a resource. I learned that many other church members are open to sharing their love and strengths with family members. I also learned that Paul and Dorcas and their girls have amazing patience and thankfulness and trust in God for each step of their journey. They have been and continue to be an example and inspiration to me. They pray for me, and I pray for them. We rejoice in prayers already answered and encourage each other to wait on His direction and provision in other areas. God is leading and teaching each one of us, and He often directs our lives to intersect in amazing ways!
The post A passion for refugee ministry appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa, Emily, Malcolm & John in Central Asia In Revelation 7:9, we read of God’s final plan…and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. I get so excited about the end plan, the calling together of all nations to worship God, before his throne. I want to be there. But…then I look around and realize, breakfast needs to be eaten, and I have to go to work.
I had the privilege of living outside my own country for almost a decade. Believe me, it was easy to lose sight of the goal. Daily grind set in strong. Does this sound familiar? It happens no matter where we live. Below is an article I wrote that originally was published in 2016*, and it reflects a typical unglamorous day of my life in Central Asia. A day in which I discovered that despite the mundane existence I felt myself living, God wanted to use me in a small way. I share it now, because we can get overwhelmed when we hear stories about the big things people do for God, when in fact life is mainly a series of small choices.
As I read the article, it reminded me of what I have been relearning in our Renovare group, What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst. What is active faith? I am reminded that it is a combination of connecting daily with God, fostering an open heart, and having a willingness to respond “yes” when opportunities come our way.
The Simplest of Prayers
The Simplest of Prayers…The Smallest of Answers…The Whisper of God
The day was sweltering. The country in Central Asia, where I lived was a country of extremes. The weather was no exception, with cold brutal winds and snows in the winter and a hot relentless sun in the summertime (without the relief of rain for months). It was smack in the middle of summer, and I had spent a long tiresome day trying to keep my two children, (who were under the age of four), happy and cool. As the day waned, irritation overcame me, and an internal dialogue ran through my head.
“Why on earth am I in this country if all I do is stay at home? How can I possibly interact well with my neighbors when I had small unhappy children, who needed to nap, needed clothes washed, diapers changed, and meals prepared for them?”
Pointless…might have run through my mind a couple of times.
Finally, the highlight of my day came: team meeting. I say that with no sarcasm at all. Team meeting meant to me blissful interaction with adults and adult conversation, and adults who were making a difference in the world. Perhaps, I could live vicariously through them. I gathered my daughter and sent my son to go find his shoes. As I buttoned on my long black coat, the bitterness rose that I had to put a coat on to go out in 100-degree heat. I wrapped my headscarf around my hair and tucked it around my body so it could not fall off. It was then that I said a simple prayer out of desperation, “Lord, I just really want to be used here. Please, use me today.”
I put my daughter in her stroller and headed out our gate for the 15-minute walk to my teammates’ house where we would have our weekly meeting. My son bounded next to me swinging a stick in his hand, and happiness radiating from him, blissfully unaware of his mother’s internal struggle, and I wished I could siphon just a fraction of his energy and his joy.
We turned up the steep hill near our house. I pushed the stroller with all my might, and music played in a court yard nearby. I concluded a wedding must be going on. At the top of the hill, I turned and left the paved road for the flat dusty path that would take me across the sports arena and onto the much-desired, tree-lined side of the city where our teammates lived. Just as I was entering the sports arena, I saw a woman gesture to me.
She had her veil completely pulled back, exposing her face, which was highly unusual for this part of the country. She impatiently gestured (again) for me to come to her. I looked over my shoulder trying to figure out if it was someone else she wanted. Why would she be beckoning to me? I cautiously approached the plump elderly woman, who was breathing heavily. When I arrived next to her, she shot out a wrinkled hand, and grabbed the side of my stroller hanging on for dear life. She took, heaved in, several deep breathes and then asked if I could walk her across the sports arena.
We plodded across the dusty, parched, ground. As she regained control of her breathing, she slowly chatted with me about how she had been at a wedding and had wanted to go home. When she started out, she realized that she had felt very weak, which is why she had beckoned for my help. She asked me where I lived and why I was here. I told her that God had brought us here to serve her people, and help them rebuild their nation. She smiled and patted my hand.
Finally, we reached the other side, she took another deep breath and said that she was not far from home, and was fine now. Together we crossed the street, and we parted I giving the traditional, “goodbye, go with God.”
As I watched her plod home and enter a gate a couple doors down, I realized that she had been the answer to my prayer, and I to hers. “Use me today, Lord. Use me here,” is a simple prayer that became one I uttered often during my time in Central Asia.
Question to consider: How have you seen God work through the simple prayer “Use me today, Lord—use me here”?
*“This piece was originally published by Thrive Ministry on thriveministry.org/
connection. Thrive is a nonprofit organization that exists to replenish women
ministering overseas. To learn more, visit thriveministry.org.”
Melissa Meyers is co-editor of The Stir, wife to John, and mother to Malcolm (17) and Emily (14). She is a Neonatal Nurse and Creative Writer. She is the author of, Beneath the Ancient Dust: Inspirational Stories from Nine Years in Afghanistan. At Calvary, she enjoys teaching on Thursday mornings at Renovare. Her hobbies are coffee, reading, and taking long walks. She will accept an invitation out for coffee anytime.
The post Connecting through the mundane appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Jessica OlsonCentral African Republic ceremony for the launch of the New Testament in three different languages.In February 2022, I had the privilege of traveling to Bangui, Central African Republic (CAR) where I participated in the launching of the New Testament in three different languages – Ngbugu, Gbeya and Kaba.
“This morning, God has sent us His Word. God will heal our country on account of His Word, translated into our local languages!“ the people called out, repeatedly.
Pastor Thomas Elvis Guenekean gave insight into the blood, sweat and tears expended. “We’ve faced challenges comparable to World War II. So many have suffered and died to make this work possible. Thank you for fighting the good fight with us. In so doing, you’ve fought the Battle of Normandy.” His audience, numbering in the thousands, agreed, and that day, we sang and danced for victory!
It took many years to write up the translations. The work was done largely by local translators who are native speakers of those languages. My husband Ken contributed to the work – first as a linguistics professor at Faculté de Théologie Évangélique de Bangui (FATEB) from 2001 to 2004 and later as a linguistics consultant from 2011 to 2019, specializing in the development of alphabets and writing systems. I provided my services as an administrative assistant, from the year that we married until now.
Ngbugu, Gbeya and Kaba aren’t the only languages of Central African Repulic. About 72 different languages are spoken in the country. Nzakara, Mandja, Gbaya, Bhogoto, Mpyemo, and Luto are next in line to have fully complete New Testaments. We’re working together with about 100 national colleagues to provide a New Testament translation for every language in Central African Republic that needs one. They’re part of an organization called the Association Centrafricaine pour la Traduction de la Bible et l’Alphabétisation (ACATBA).
In the day to day, I fill a more conventional role. I work anywhere from 5 to 20 hours a week. My primary tasks include decluttering office space, organizing paper filing systems, managing office supplies, gathering information, and maintaining partnerships. I also produce short videos on the topic of Bible translation. You can find them on my YouTube channel, Jessica Olson@Jessica_Olson. To God be the glory.
Jessica Olson works as an Administrative Assistant for SIL, serving Central African Republic remotely. She has served as a biblical exegete for SIL and the Cameroon Association for Bible Translation and Literacy (CABTAL) in Mamfe, Cameroon. She’s also served as a publicity writer and photographer for SIL in Dallas. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. She’s the mother of four children, who are active participants in Calvary Kids and Youth Group, at Calvary Evangelical Free Church. She loves to encourage others through creative compositions, textile art projects, Latin dance, interpretive dance, songwriting and singing.
The post Bringing the word to the nations appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Meet Cheryl WarnerTell us a bit about your current and past ministries you have been involved in.
Cherly & Charley Warner work for Barnabas InternationalCharley and I started working in theological education by extension in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union in 1987 and moved to Odessa, Ukraine, in 1991 to teach at Odessa Theological Seminary, the first Protestant seminary in the USSR. The Soviet Union was dissolved later that year, and many Western missionaries started coming. We joined Barnabas International in 1992 and branched out into missionary care. Ukraine is now sending missionaries around the world, and we are helping Ukrainian churches establish care for these workers. With a Ukrainian team, we helped plan and lead a retreat for Ukrainian missionaries that just took place in Poland in February. I lead a Bible study for women from Irpin Bible Church that currently meets on Zoom. The Psalms have pointed us to God as our refuge and hope in wartime.
What has been your connection to Calvary over the years?
Calvary has supported our ministry since we first went to the field in 1987. My cousin, Bruce Anthony, was chairman of the Missions Commission at that time and introduced us to Calvary. Thank you for your long-term financial and prayer support! Our visit with you last June was a great encouragement to us. We were displaced from our home in Irpin, Ukraine, shortly before the Russian invasion a year ago. Calvary has responded to the crisis in Ukraine with compassion and practical help. Thank you for the generous offering you gave to support the volunteer centers of Irpin Bible Church, which are helping meet the material and spiritual needs of local people.
Irpin Bible Church Help Center VolunteersShare a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
My dad, musician Dick Anthony (now with the Lord), sang his own composition, “Available,” at the end of his concerts. We did family concert tours together during the summers of my middle school and high school years, and I heard this song every night. “Available for God to use me, available if God should choose me. Should it be here or there, it doesn’t matter where . . . ” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyb2ZnVxjMQ
When I considered whether God was calling me to marry Charley and go as a missionary to the Soviet Union, the foundation of growing up in a ministry family that said yes to God’s call helped me say yes. I was born in Illinois and grew up in California, Florida, and Texas, where my parents served in music ministry in various churches and in Christian radio and television. As a missionary in my adult life, we have always been focused on what is now the former Soviet Union, based first in the UK and then in Odessa, Ukraine; Vienna, Austria; and more recently Irpin, Ukraine. Our home base in the US is Wheaton, Illinois.
Favorite Bible verse?
1 Thessalonians 3:5: “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” I pray this for myself and for missionaries I care for, that we would experience a deep heart knowledge of God’s love and then persevere in our calling out of that place of being loved.
How does your faith inform your work?
Living cross-culturally for most of my adult life and worshiping in other languages has given me a broader view of the worldwide church and a passion to see God’s glory proclaimed among the nations. As painful as it is to see the suffering of the Ukrainian people I love, I also see the church there working hard to provide aid and bring the gospel to hurting people. People are open to the gospel, many are coming to saving faith in Christ, and believers are experiencing God’s faithfulness in hard times.
In the book of Revelation, John describes this captivating scene: “I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. . . . He who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. . . . For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; ‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes’” (Revelation 7:9, 14, 17). Keeping this big picture in mind helps me to trust that even when life is hard and nations are in turmoil, God is on the throne and he is fulfilling his purposes among the nations. He is our Shepherd now, and through all eternity.
Describe yourself in 5 adjectives.
Beloved, redeemed, called, sent, comforted.
What are three of your favorite foods?
The perfect trio: English breakfast tea with milk, served with toast and raspberry jam.
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly every day.
I love to read good books, especially memoirs, biographies, fiction with interesting characters, and devotional books. I like to read books my four adult daughters are reading, which sparks some good conversations. Bonus points go to books that make me laugh out loud.
What is one important skill every person should master?
First, listening to the voice of our Shepherd: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Then listening to others. Inviting someone to tell her story, asking good questions, and listening with empathy shows love and helps build a trusting relationship.
What are 3 things you highly value?
Ukrainian refugee bears, a photo painted by a friend for Cheryl when they were displaced.Natural beauty with quiet. Being known and loved. Music.
What are you praying about?
We are praying for our daughter Melissa, who will begin her missionary service with OMF International in July. She is a licensed professional counselor and registered play therapist, and after studying the Thai language she will work as a counselor for children of missionaries at the Cornerstone Counseling Foundation in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
We want to return to live in Irpin, Ukraine, in July, Lord willing. I pray that there will be no further attacks on Irpin or the Kyiv region, that the war in Ukraine will end, and that many people in Ukraine and Russia will come to Christ.
Meet Josie Lloyd
Harlan, holding Nathan, and Josie with baby Ida. From left to right: Judah, Tirzah, Ava, Anya, and Elaina. They live and work in Soldotna, Alaska with Childhood Evangelism FellowshipTell us a bit about your current and past ministries you have been involved in:
My husband and I currently serve with Childhood Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in Soldotna, Alaska. Which includes Good News Clubs, making meals and having practices for with our CEF teens, teen trainings, occasional village trips, making cookies for village trips, Christian Youth In Action (CYIA) training camp in Early June, making some more cookies and hosting a back yard Bible Club and then Camp Good News at the end of the summer.
We are also involved in our local church and have been involved in hosting small group, children and youth ministries and serving on our Missions team.
Before CEF, we served with Missionary Aviation Repair Center (MARC). My husband, Harlan is still able to help fly for various village flights throughout the year. Whether is it is for Bible camps or a CEF village trips.
What has been your connection to Calvary over the years?
We moved to Rochester when I was 7 years old and I attended Calvary with my family until I got married in 2006. Highlights of church life were my own years participating in youth group, helping with Jr high ministries in my college years and going on short term mission trips to Dominican Republic.
Josie with her parents and all her lovely sisters.Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I was born in Joliet, Illinois and moved to Rochester in 1992. Some of my favorite childhood memories were in Michigan when we would visit family every Summer. I loved this time as my Dad was off from work and my mom enjoyed being with her family in her home state. We had hours of fun outside with my cousins and siblings swimming, having bonfires going to Lake Michigan and hearing stories of days gone by from my grandparents.
Growing up my favorite day of the week was Sunday as we went to church and then hung out as a family making food together, playing games or watching a movie. In my high school days this included the addition of brother-in-laws and cute little nephews! Sundays were my carrot to get through the week as a teenager. So thankful for my parents love and the friendships within our family being so strong. We treasured all being together this last fall with a “few” more additions to the family!
Describe your average day.
- 7am: Little voices start filling the air
- 7:30am: kids eat breakfast
- 8am: diaper changes/kids get ready for the day
- 9am: morning chores
- Homeschool/ practice instruments for older four kids and playtime for younger three
- 10am: nap time for baby
- 12pm: Lunch
- 1pm: play time/ school- or- Good News Club/music lessons (depending on what day of the week)
- 2pm: naps
- Finish homeschool/tidy house-make dinner
- 6pm:dinner time
- Cleanup/ free time for kids/ “tidy up”
- 8:30pm: Family Bible time and prayer before kids go to bed
- 9-10pm: Time to catch up on things or spend time with my husband talking about the day or the week ahead.
- And then Sleep! Which occasionally is sprinkled with tending to the needs of kids, but thankful for a better season of sleep right now :
Favorite Bible Verse
One of my favorites is Romans 12:12:
Be joyful in Hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Always a good reminder to renew my thoughts and how to fix my heart upon truth and give my worries to the Lord.
What are three of your favorite foods?
Coffee, tacos (moose or halibut) and apples. If coffee doesn’t count then I would choose freshly baked bread.
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly every day.
Spending time with my husband and children!
How can people best pray for your family?
We would appreciate prayers for our marriage that we would truly reflect the love of Christ. For wisdom as we parent and train our 7 children, that our children would have soft hearts unto the Lord and that our family would have wisdom to know how to best serve the Lord and truly be a light in our community and state.
Josie and Harlan with the extended Bisset family enjoyed a family reunion here in Rochester last November. The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Cheryl & Josie appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Mala SeeThis is a story of making rice patties, or glutinous rice cakes, or in Lahu, “awˍ paw neh,” with my family.
Dorkham and Mala See and kids at the Lahu New Year celebration at Calvary.For as long as I can remember, Lahu New year’s is a day of tradition and excitement. As Christians, it is also a day of celebrating and reflecting on the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness from the previous year and making plans to grow in my faith in the upcoming year. In Rochester, it has been a three-day celebration since the early 1990s. In California, Thailand, Laos, or China, where most of the Lahu people inhabit, it is a week-long celebration. I have nostalgic memories of getting dressed up in our cultural clothes that my mother had laboriously worked on through the year, my mother tying my hair up in a bun that is way too tight, singing, dancing, and competing in games with my friends.
How are the rice patties made?
Having children of my own has encouraged me to delve deeper into my cultural roots of the different traditions I participated in growing up. This year Dorkham and I hosted the rice patty-making in our home under my mother and father-in-law’s watchful guidance.
Music, dancing, and games at Calvary’s Lahu New Year celebrationOn the night of December 30th, I soaked about 25 lbs. of glutinous white sweet rice in water for about eight hours.
The following day on New year’s eve, I steamed all of the sticky rice (and then some that my father and mother-in-law brought). Historically, we used a five-foot homemade wooden pestle, lifted it over our heads, and heaved it into a five-gallon bucket to pound the sweet rice into a cohesive sticky dough. In recent years, we have discovered a Tiger brand mochi bread maker and that has been an immense blessing! The mochi bread maker caused no more sweat and tears to be shed while making the rice patties!
My brother-in-law was in charge of using the mochi bread maker and it took only 10 minutes to turn the sweet rice into a sticky dough. Dorkham lifted the dough onto a prepared counter. My mother-in-law had ground-up sesame seeds prepared ahead of time to help with the stickiness. My nephew scattered it on the counter and we dusted our hands with it as well. Once the dough was on the counter, Dorkham had to move fast to prevent loss of heat to the dough, as he pinched off baseball-sized balls and distributed them to all the little hands waiting to help. My father-in-law showed us how to tuck in the imperfections from areas where the dough was pinched off. With the dough still steaming hot, it was the ideal time to shape the dough in my hands. My mother-in-law came around with a spatula to help us flatten the rice patties. We have many more rice patties to make before they are wrinkle-free and circular the way my father-in-law makes them.
As with all cookie-making events in which cookie dough gets eaten or grows legs and walks off, the same is true when making rice patties! My niece formed a gigantic ball and ran off to eat it.
Why are so many rice patties made?
Each Lahu family packs four rice patties along with sweets, monetary gifts, and tea, and is used as a love gift to show respect to each of the Lahu elders; which includes parents, grandparents, pastors, brothers, and elders in the community. The elders in return will say a prayer of blessing (awˬ bon naˬ – aˉ she) for the family before they depart to the next home. In the evening, each family brings six rice patties, fruits, and drinks to the church where the formal tree ceremony occurs (Hk’awˬ yehˬ awˍ paw tanˇ). During the ceremony, the community will dance three rounds around the decorated tree and the Elder of the Lahu community or Pastor gives the prayer of praise. The Lahu community ends the ceremony by sitting together near the base of the tree to share the food that were brought.
What does the rice patty taste like?
There is no such thing as too many rice patties because you can freeze them and enjoy them throughout the year. The process is long, and so it is very convenient have frozen rice patties that you can brown in a hot skillet for 5 minutes per side and eat with a sprinkle of salt on top.
For those who are wondering what a roasted rice patty tastes like, I can best describe it as plain rice with just the faintest hint of underlying sweetness. The rice patty’s crispy outer shell, and the chewy gumminess on the inside, is the best part of the whole experience.
Mala See is married to Dorkham, mother to four children, a dental hygienist and a hobby photographer. She enjoys competitive game nights, sharing home cooked meals with her extended family and friends, hiking new places, serving in the Lahu service and teaching children’s Sunday school at Calvary.
The post Cooks of Calvary: Mala See makes “aw paw neh” appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Stephanie Conkright The earth groaned as many rested in silence.
A crescendo of cries awakened by the shudder.
Echoes from chambers where many still lay below.
Darkness mercifully shrouding the unseen devastation.
The bright morning sunrise confirming the worst of fears.
On February 5th, I shared a post on Facebook of an ancient mosaic located in Antakya, Turkey. I’m not sure why it appeared on my feed, but I tagged a couple of my Turkish friends who are from that area and heard back almost immediately. Selin told me how she had visited the site last year and invited me to come and see it with her some time. I told her I would love that. The very next day the massive earthquake that hit Turkey and neighboring Syria reduced the majority of Antakya to rubble. We exchanged texts, and I was relieved to hear she escaped physically unscathed, although emotionally devastated. Two days later, minutes before I was about to pray for Turkey and Syria at our Renovare gathering, Selin called me in tears. She shared about the desperate situation in her hometown. I cried with her, then I cried as I shared with the ladies of Renovare.
Stephanie’s neighborhood post-earthquake in 1999There are countless news articles reporting the effects of the earthquake: the staggering number of lives lost, families grieving loved ones, instant destruction of homes and possessions, the loss of neighbors who had been as close as family, the poor construction of apartment buildings and the corruption that allowed it. Perhaps the greatest tragedy is that none of this is new, and that much of the suffering could have been prevented. My family and I survived the 1999 Turkish earthquake. We too were awakened in the middle of the night to a shaking world that left 17,000 dead. We slept outside and were afraid to return to our weakened building, ultimately moving to a better constructed one. Within days posters appeared declaring, ‘Earthquakes don’t kill, buildings do.’ Contractors were prosecuted, new building codes were instituted and promises were made. We prayed, ‘Never again!’ Yet here we are today, only so much worse!
Poor construction, as evidence that some buildings crumbledSo how do we pray now? We pray people will find the only true hope, that God will use this situation to bring many to salvation. We pray that radical changes will take place so that more lives will not be lost because building codes are not enforced. We pray for those who have lost their loved ones, their homes, their jobs, who now face the prospect of living in tents or converted shipping containers for months, if not years. Our previous church in Minneapolis sent a team to work with us to help establish a relief community which provided temporary housing and medical care. It was still in operation two years later. The need will continue for a very long time.
A neighborhood of container homes two years after the 1999 earthquakeAnd yet, already a month on, I know that we will soon be focusing on the next disaster that dominates the news. Even when we have a personal connection we quickly move on. Garth and I are praying regularly for Turkey, but I know this will ebb in time. We could be tempted to feel guilty about this. I think we need to resist being distracted by guilt. Rather we should seek to pray as the Holy Spirit leads us, as he moves us to pray for the next thing, and gives us permission to move on. I am struck by how the Lord has burdened me to pray for many different situations over the years, sometimes for individuals I have never met or places I have never been. Sometimes I’ve prayed a single prayer and other times I have prayed for weeks or months. This time the Holy Spirit used a seemingly random Facebook post to prompt me to make a connection with Selin right before disaster struck. He then prompted her to call me just as I was about to invite a group of Calvary women to join me in prayer. My desire is that we all grow in our capacity to sense the nudging of the Holy Spirit and pray as he leads.
Stephanie Conkright and her family lived in several cities in Turkey over the course of 20 years, Stephanie met and married Garth in the region that is affected by the recent earthquake. Along with their daughter, Laura, Garth and Stephanie have hearts full of fond memories of their time in this beautiful country.
The post Praying for Turkey appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Somewhere in the Unknown World: a collective refugee memoir
Author: Kao Kalia Yang
reviewed by Melissa Meyers
Somewhere in the Unknown World is a collection of stories that focuses on refugees who settled in Minnesota. The author, Kao Kalia Yang, was a Hmong child born outside her country in a refugee camp in Thailand. Later, she resettled along with her family in Minnesota. From the beginning she was placed in a classroom of refugee children, not all from the same country, but like her, they were forced to leave their homes due to war, persecution, or natural disasters. She learned their stories, and carried them around with her, until she grew into a writer.
Studying creative writing at Carleton College and then Columbia University, she was first ready to tell her own story, which she did in The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir. Then she was ready to tell the stories of other refugees that like her found themselves in Minnesota and strove to adapt and make it their home. Yang interviewed fourteen individuals that immigrated to Minnesota across several decades, and from a variety of countries.
As Yang states in her prologue, “Minnesota has refugees everywhere. We have the highest concentration of Hmong and Tibetan in the country, the biggest population of Somali, Karen, Burmese, Eritrean and Liberian refugees. This much is known, but few know who we are or how we live.” The author writes in lyrical prose and though these stories are sad, as one would expect them to be, she weaves them together beautifully.
These are some of the peoples’ stories she tells. She tells the story of Irina, a Jewish Russian from Minsk, Belarus, who left with her family in 1989, due to the persecutions they faced. The story of Awo and her mother who escaped from Somalia, and how they reunite every Sunday with her father, still in Somalia, through phone calls. And, she tells the story of Mr. Troung, who brought pho from Vietnam, to Frogtown in St. Paul when he opened a restaurant.
Yang gives us an invaluable gift, a window into the back stories of our neighbors’ lives, who like us live in this place called Minnesota. These stories focus on how they ended up here, their struggles, hopes, and dreams of adapting to a new life in a new place.
Defying Jihad: the dramatic true story of a woman who volunteered to kill infidels – and then faced death for becoming oneAuthor: Esther Ahmad and Craig Borlase
reviewed by Jill Pearson
In this captivating memoir, Ester Ahmad writes of her modern-day transformation from a young woman on the verge of committing muslim jihad, in which she was willing to die by suicide bomb in the name of Allah, to having a secret relationship with Christ. There truly is no more dangerous conversion in the religious world, because to be discovered as a Christian in a strict muslim Pakistani family is a death sentence….unless the Lord intervenes. And boy is this book full of miraculous interventions.
Esther adeptly describes the relationship she built with a Christian professor who planted the first fragile seeds, the ongoing mentorship and watering of her burgeoning faith with his discipleship, the Bible, and worship music. She shares of her risky evangelism and harrowing moment of exposure, along with her public debates and her narrow escapes from danger and death.
I was riveted by her story and the way she wove scripture and unabashed faith into the narrative. I listened on audio and often had to pause any activity I was engaged in to simply absorb the depth of her courage and the strength of her faith. As an American woman able to worship freely, I was reminded anew of the great privilege of religious security, but also of the pitfalls of apathy from rarely having my faith challenged.
This is an important book for our times. I highly recommend it. It is currently free on Audible.
The post Two March book reviews appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Kristi Muston “But God shows his love in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” ~Romans 5:8I have always been a fan of love stories. In middle school, I “fell in love” with Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy, and devoured books and movies with a happy ending. Every Christmas season, I watch as many Hallmark Christmas movies as time allows. While my reading repertoire has expanded since high school, I still find myself returning to books, movies, or authors whose stories involve these uplifting elements. At the end of a long week, these are the stories I choose in order to relax.
Photo credit Cheeky Monkey PhotographyDespite this, I wouldn’t call myself a hopeless romantic; my life experiences have shown me that no relationship is ever as “simple” or “easy” as it is in movies or books. When Michael and I got married a little over six years ago, I knew that marriage was going to take a lot of hard work, communication, and prayer. What I didn’t expect was how hard it would be so quickly…I naively thought the early years would be a breeze and real conflict would only come later. Not so for us. The “honeymoon period” of our marriage lasted only a few weeks after coming back from our honeymoon. When the reality of blending our lives and managing differing expectations hit us, conflict arose. Suddenly, all these sinful behaviors showed up in my life, behaviors I didn’t realize I had until I faced living with, and loving, another person.
God did not abandon us, and he used this time in our marriage to draw us closer to him. By revealing our sinful behaviors and misguided expectations, we both learned to be more dependent on God and his guidance. The first few years of our marriage taught me more about God’s love; His deep, unending, and abiding love for us. It was a time of great spiritual growth for us both and helped us build a strong foundation for our marriage. Six years later, as I sit here in my living room surrounded by our daughter’s toys, I have to laugh about those early arguments about the empty boxes cluttering the floor. Why did I ever think that was such a big deal? God’s love and faithfulness has taught us to better love each other and those around us.
Thankfully for us, God’s love story to us is the truest love story ever written. It is through our trust in Jesus that we can even begin to learn how to love, and to model that love to others. Our example is Christ, and his love is perfect. This month, we focus on love stories from women in all stages of life that help remind each other of God’s love for us. February’s issue is chock-full of “how we met” stories and wisdom from women who have been married for 60 years (or more). Jill Pearson’s devotional reminds us of the importance of staying “tuned” to Christ and being unified in Christian community, while Yvette Kidman sheds light on martial conflict and how to seek out support. Mindy Slettedahl shares a craft to make with your kids, and Melissa Meyers encourages you to snuggle up with a book as she reviews the Deep Haven Christian romance series. Finally, when you’re ready to indulge in some dessert this month, dive into Vicki Tierney’s chocolate dessert pairings or Mary Hanson’s Italian cream cake.
Whether you’re single, married, divorced, or widowed, we hope you find encouragement in the stories this month. God wrote the greatest love story of all time, and it was written for each one of us.
Kristi Muston
Kristi Muston has lived in Rochester for almost a decade. She is married to Michael and mother to Sophia. After teaching English for 9 years, Kristi is now a stay-at-home mom. In her spare moments, she loves reading, running, and eating dessert. At Calvary, she co-edits The Stir blog, and is involved with the worship team and Renovare.
The post February welcome appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Faith Peggar On June 5, 2019, I met the man who became my best friend and who would forever change my life. Exactly one year later (June 5, 2020), I moved back to Minnesota just as that man flew across the world to be a COVID-19 crisis nurse in the Middle East. And, then, on June 5, 2021, I vowed to love and serve that man for the rest of my life.
Now, let me share the nitty gritty details. The summer between my junior and senior year of nursing school, I did an internship at the Mayo Clinic where I was paired 1:1 with a nurse to follow for the summer. I was paired with Mike, who seemed shy at first, but also extremely compassionate, intelligent, and unique. Right away, we became great friends. As the next three months passed, I learned he was the opposite of shy, and that he was even more compassionate, patient, and caring than I first knew. I discovered that Mike was also goofy, passionate, and very stubborn about the silliest things (such as how to order boxes of gloves). There was something so special about this man, but at the time I couldn’t put my finger on it. I knew him as wholesome, sweet, and kind.
Later that summer, I left Minnesota “for good,” never expecting to return to Rochester. This lasted for ten months, until I moved back across the country to be a COVID-19 nurse. I moved to Minnesota at the same time my most cherished friend, Mike, traveled to the Middle East. When we reunited later that summer, it felt like I had never left; we picked up right where we left off. That day, we walked around Cascade Lake and Mike shared the gospel with me. It’s important to note that I did not grow up in a Christian home and I lived a life very far from Christ. I’m convinced that if anyone else shared the gospel with me that day, I would have rejected it. But since I had felt the love of Christ through this person and knew that there was something so special about this man, my heart was open. I accepted Jesus just a few days later.
As I grew in my walk with Christ, I also grew closer to Mike. He walked alongside me, answered my 1,000 Jesus questions at two in the morning, and discipled me. He, in Pastor Larry’s presence, was the one who baptized me in the freezing cold Zumbro River that October. From there our friendship continued until six months later, we had what we like to call our “uh oh day.” That day, we sat cross-legged across from each other on my kitchen floor and knew we were not just best friends anymore. Two months later, we became engaged, and three months after that, on June 5, 2021, we were married.
About a month into our marriage, we faced our first major trial when my perfect health suddenly deteriorated. We spent the majority of that next month at the emergency room, as I was hospitalized or in and out of procedures and doctors appointments. Unfortunately, all of these procedures and appointments were unsuccessful, leaving me sicker with no answers, and ultimately unable to walk for the next six months. The following year brought continued health struggles, and battles with mental health and loss. But that time also brought Mike and I closer than I ever thought two people could get. We accepted our vulnerabilities, which allowed us to develop a deeper trust, safety, and even joy amidst the pain. It has given me a bond with my husband that I am convinced we couldn’t have achieved without such pain.
These hardships also showed us God’s character in a way that no study Bible or devotional could explain. It taught us that the Great Physician still does miracles today. We got to experience our rock at rock bottom. We got to feel the gentle, loving arms of the Prince of Peace wrap around us in the darkest of nights. We got to witness God’s mercy in front of our eyes. God continues to show us how our trials were all for His glory and our good. God has done some incredible work through our relationship over the years…nobody could have written our story as perfectly as God has.
This is our love story in a nutshell. It is a story of my nurse preceptor, gospel sharing, caregiving best friend who became my husband. Now the next time you see Mike and I giggling with our googly eyes, dancing in the church parking lot, or crying during worship, you know our backstory!
Faith Peggar
Faith Peggar is married to Mike and is a GI nurse at Mayo Clinic. She loves horses, big dogs, and wooden puzzles. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, baking, fishing, and hiking. At Calvary, you will find Faith serving in Sunday school or the nursery. She has also served with Awana and Vacation Bible School.
The post Growing in faith together: a testimony appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Jill Pearson
“Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other?” A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God
This quote from my favorite Christian classic, The Pursuit of God, recently caught my attention. You see, I have a sweet spot for a good piano metaphor. I reckon the piano was my first love and has been my partner longer than my husband of 29 years. On its keys, I’ve led worship, spilt tears, composed hundreds of songs, marked milestones like marriages and funerals, and taught dozens of youngsters how to play. It’s kept me company in solitude and brought me together with other musicians in community.
8-year-old Jill practicing on her first pianoI have been around pianos for most of my life, and they’ve always drawn me like a magnet. I first played Grandma and Grandpa Hamor’s spinet, which was donated to my childhood home to usher me into the world of piano lessons at the age of 8. I’ve owned digital pianos during the apartment-dwelling years, settled with off-tune dorm pianos in college, and most recently, inherited a beautiful baby grand from my dear mother-in-law. It had belonged to her mother, who was a piano teacher for her whole career. I love imagining all the little fingers that pounded out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the keys of this piano over the decades.
my current pianoI think about my own piano teachers who both inspired and scared me a little. The most intriguing was Sister Camilla, my teacher during middle and high school, who was a tiny but formidable nun from the local Catholic college. She somehow convinced me to continue lessons through my senior year, possibly with the curse of hell if I quit. (Just kidding…she was terrific.) My mom had other tactics. She would occasionally pay me 50 cents to practice during my slumps, which she says avoided a battle of the wills and was an investment that has paid off in spades. She’s the best!
One of the more tedious tasks required of piano owners is keeping the piano tuned. Michael, our piano tuner, comes to our home once a year with his tool box and his discerning ear. He bangs on the keys, slowing ratcheting the strings until he hits pitch perfect. The process is a little painful on the ears until, at last, he puts away his tools and begins to play beautiful arpeggios up and down the keyboard. That’s when I peek into the music room with a giant grin and a thousand hallelujahs!
Consider the striking symbolism of Tozer’s quote: a hundred pianos tuned to a singular fork. Tozer uses this picture to illustrate a healthy Christian community, where we have tuned our hearts to a perfect pitch, which is Christ, and thus become in tune with each other. In contrast, when we try to calibrate to earthly wisdom or to the whims of culture, we become discordant noise, losing our personal peace and corporate vision.
Calvary is in a time of transition right now as we learn more about the biblical shepherding model and changes to our bi-laws. Pastor Kyle and other leaders are wielding the tuning fork as they try to help us calibrate to a unified pitch. So I commend you: love the tuning fork (Christ) and the tuners (pastors, elders, and teachers.) Love all the pianos just as you love your own. Let’s celebrate the music we make together and, Lord, let it be in tune!
Jill Pearson is co-editor of The Stir, wife to Dave, and mom to three young adults who have flown the nest but are easily lured back with an offer of dinner. She owns and operates Riverwood Studio, an art education business, and finds lots of creative ways to serve at Calvary.
The post February devotional: tuned to Christ appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Laura RohrbaughOnce upon a time there was a 10-year old girl who didn’t want to be so terrible at playing saxophone. Her mother enlisted the help of Mr. A, a private teacher who smoked cigarettes and nibbled on potato chips throughout each lesson. Even so, he maintained a full roster of students and enjoyed boasting about their successes. A captive audience of his tales, the girl’s mom and Mr. A became friends. In time, he laid out an elusive goal for his elementary student: follow in the footsteps of his 15-year old prodigy, Dick Rohrbaugh. Meeting Dick for the first time, the girl’s mom praised him for his mature disposition: “Someday I’d like to meet your mother and compliment her on the wonderful son she raised.” Meanwhile, the girl began practicing excessively, much to the chagrin of her next door neighbor whose bedroom window was less than 20 feet away from hers.
The girl eventually became quite musically proficient and, at age 16, auditioned for a band that performed an outdoor summer concert series. One evening, the girl’s mom and dad were in attendance. Home from college and accompanied by his mother, so was Dick. Recalling their conversation from some 6 years prior, Dick escorted his mom to where the girl’s parents were sitting. “Mrs. Bishop, you’d wanted to meet my mom? This is Pat Rohrbaugh.” Later that night, Pat and Dick came to the Bishop’s for ice cream. The girl nearly collapsed from shock. Her parents had never invited anyone over before. It was a defining moment.
Laura, Dick, and their momsOne year later, a few months before her high school graduation, the girl’s father died of cancer. Pat Rohrbaugh, also a widow, befriended the girl’s mom. Dick graduated from college that year too, and began gigging as much as he could. Avoiding the urge to be picky, he played polka masses and mediocre dance jobs in small-town ballrooms–in addition to more rewarding gigs. Regardless, the moms enjoyed traveling together to Dick’s performances and dragging the girl along. One night, Dick and the girl held hands for an hour during the car ride home. But Dick’s beard and intensity were off-putting to the girl. And Dick decided the girl was a flibbertigibbet who needed to mature.
Over the next few years, as their mothers’ friendship deepened, Dick and the girl’s relationship devolved. The girl perceived Dick’s shyness as arrogance, so she snubbed him back. Dick perceived Laura’s silent treatment as hostility, so he ignored her with a coy smile. Even when they found themselves working for the same company, the cycle of intentional rejection continued well over a year. Then one day, in an impromptu burst of civility, the girl proclaimed she was tired of the impasse and demanded a truce. Speechless, Dick just shook his head up and down.
The following October, Dick turned 30 and the girl gave him a card and hand-written coupon for a home-cooked birthday meal. As was typical, their exchange was awkward. “If hamburgers are what you can cook, then hamburgers are fine,” Dick offered about his meal of choice. Insulted, the girl served him filet mignon with a peppercorn glaze to prove she could cook. The girl also wanted to show she was no longer the silly chatterbox she was at age 18, so she crafted 31 thoughtful and captivating questions in advance to keep the conversation flowing and her mouth closed. Despite being confused by the behavior change, Dick politely thanked the girl for a good meal. He even hinted that maybe they’d dine together again someday. Secretly, the girl hoped she wouldn’t have to wait until her birthday in February.
Four months later, on the girl’s 25th birthday, Dick invited her to Olive Garden. She ordered fettuccine alfredo and he didn’t judge. Afterwards, she invited him in for a teetotaler’s nightcap and they had their first organic, unscripted conversation of substance. Then, as Dick left her apartment to drive home, the girl’s cuff bracelet got caught on his coat pocket. They semi-hugged to get her unstuck. But the real hug and kiss that followed required no bracelet.
That was it. After 9 years of ignoring the guy who was always there, the girl had found her person. Eleven months later, on an unseasonably warm winter day, they were married in a concert hall. Its convertible layout allowed their widowed moms to sit next to each other in the same row of seats. The venue also provided a long staircase for the girl to descend, right into Dick’s loving hand. Professional photos perfectly captured the beauty of that day. But the spirit of the wedding was best illustrated by Dick’s groomsman Bob, an award-winning cartoonist, who drew a caricature of the couple for the wedding bulletin with the caption “It Had to Be You.”
————-
Dick and I have now been married 31 years. No two people could be more different, yet more alike. We share the same faith in God, the same heart for worship, the same sarcastic sense of humor, the same interest in politics, the same caregiving commitment to our mothers, and the same steadfast devotion to our precious daughter. I thank the Lord daily that His plans are so much better than anything we can envision for ourselves. Even when we resisted for nearly a decade first.
Laura Rohrbaugh is wife to Dick and mom to Cadence (Cady), a high school senior and drumming phenom. The family fur babies would call her mom if they could. Laura has also been foster mom to 3 littles and mentor mom to 11 at-risk teens. A technical writer by trade, she currently works as an IT support analyst at Mayo Clinic and side hustles creating websites and writing resumes. Laura loves playing keyboards and singing on worship team, but she will always cherish the 6 years she served as Calvary Kids Choir director most.
The post It had to be you appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Meet Lauren Greenslade
Andy and Lauren with their three sweet girls, Josephine, Emma, and Anna.A little about our family…
Andy and I have been married 13 years, and we have called 9 places home. We’ve been back here in Rochester for about 2 years. Andy is the Dentist/owner at Honor Dental here in Rochester, and I get to stay home and care for our daughters. As a couple, we get a lot of joy out of bearing wittness to growth around us: growth in each other, growth in those close to us including our daughters – Emma (5) Josephine (2) & Anna (6 months), and even just fostering growth in plants both indoors and outdoors.
Describe your average day.
We have breakfast (and cold brew coffee) and do education at home. Then there’s play and housework, errands, and food and naps for all the little humans. Then there is more food and housework and play. Then bedtime routines and dishes (or not). Afterwards, sitting on the couch relaxing with Andy watching something like The Great British Baking Show for a few minutes before we go to bed.
Describe yourself in 5 adjectives.
Comfortable, cheerful, cooperative, loyal, inquisitive
or tired, tense, puzzled, hangry, fine.
Haha! Just depends on the day or the hour.
What is something that makes a welcoming home?
I hope it’s piles of laundry, crumbs on the floor, and the smell of something baking or cooking. We love to have people in our home (Emma will always ask if you can spend the night), but our home is far from spotless most days.
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly every day.
Read to my girls. My mom loved to read to me as a little girl, and I so loved snuggling up and listening to a story while my mind went to work imagining all the details. I love love love sharing that with my daughters now.
What is one important skill every person should master?
I’ve been slowly reading the book Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. She contends that all education should include reading, writing, arithmetic, and drawing; but our society has lost sight of drawing as a skill and believes it is something only some people are gifted in. She claims it can be trained in all of us, and that drawing is a very important skill because it activates the less dominant right side of the brain unleashing creativity and problem-solving in all areas of life. I’ve been enjoying walking through the exercises in her book to try to learn to draw past my seven-year-old skill level.
Favorite bible verse?
Psalm 46. The whole thing, but if I have to choose just one verse it’s v.10
Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.
What’s the best dessert you’ve ever had?
I love a warm gooey chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream.
Emily and her husband David with their family, back row left to right: Caleb (17), Ethan (15), David (Grace’s fiancé), front row: Aaron (11), Grace and granddaughter Iris Meet Emily Ofstedahl
How long have you attended Calvary? Over the years, what areas of ministry have you been involved in?
My family has been attending Calvary for about 15 years. When we moved to Rochester our new neighbors, Matt and Vicki Tierney, brought us brownies and with time recommended Calvary to us! When we first started attending, we volunteered in the preschool rooms as helpers. Then for many years I taught in Lambs, Bunnies, Kangaroos and King’s Kids (now Tadpoles, Polliwogs, Frogs and the Calvary Treehouse). My husband and I have led and been a part of different Calvary community groups over the years. I also participated in many Bible studies with Coffee & Friends and now Renovaré. I’ve helped with teaching in the Bible room for Vacation Bible School and was a crew leader too. Then for the last five years I’ve been the Administrative Assistant for the Compassion Counseling Center at Calvary.
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years and places you’ve lived.
I grew up in Austin, MN, just about an hour west of Rochester. I have lots of childhood memories of spending good, quality time with my Dad. We’d go camping, swimming and go on lots of long drives together. I’ve been to about 40 states with him so there was a lot of time to just talk and listen to music. Over the years he’s shared lots of valuable wisdom and good advice with me.
Describe your average day.
My average day involves lots of moving parts! There are not too many dull moments with our four kids (Grace 18, Caleb 17, Ethan 15, Aaron 11), a granddaughter (Iris 11 months) who lives with us and Iris’ Dad (David 18) often over! My day typically starts with doing an exercise work out with my husband, Kyle. Then the driving begins with things like taking Aaron to school and hockey, driving Ethan to work at Chick-fil-A and driving to Calvary for Counseling Center work. Then there’s grocery shopping, endless errands, friend activities and various appointments. There’s lots of food prepared and devoured at our house along with late night teenager talks and then trying to get them to GO TO BED! Everyday feels like it flies by!
Favorite Bible verse?
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Share one thing that you love to do that you get to do nearly every day.
I love to listen to music as I go about my day. I listen to music that counsels my heart with Truth. I listen to music that validates my feelings and helps me feel understood. I listen to music to help me process life. I listen to music to be more light-hearted and joyful. Music soothes my soul and I’m thankful that I get to listen to it everyday!
The post Faces of Calvary: Lauren & Emily appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Kate Laack: modern loveOurs is a modern love story, made possible by technology and timing. I had dabbled in online dating briefly around the time of my sister’s wedding, eventually giving up my online profile for an in-person relationship that fizzled after a few months. Facing the prospect of returning to the online “marketplace” that is Match.com, I was determined to make the process as efficient and effective as possible. So, like all strong, independent, introverted women…I read a book on beating the online dating algorithm. I returned to the website on a mission, sending out a set number of formulaic messages on a schedule designed to increase my likelihood of responses and, ultimately, success.
Meanwhile, Josh was in Minnesota and ready to give up on online dating. He happened to sign into his account to cancel his membership just a few days after I had sent him a message, and he was impressed with my correct use of punctuation (a true rarity on many online dating platforms). He returned my message asking if we could move our conversation onto regular email as he was about to leave the site, and we did.
Because I was in La Crosse and he was in Rochester, planning a first date more complicated. While we waited, our conversation, and subsequent budding relationship, stayed over email for the next six weeks. We wrote every day, thousands of words at a time. Josh always ended his email with three questions for me to answer. By the time we sat down for coffee (in the middle of a January snow storm), we had exchanged over 90,000 written words – words we later had bound into a book for our first wedding anniversary.
Katie Yager: growing painsTravis and I met on Bus 57 in Bigelow, MN. I was in 4th grade, and Travis was in 6th grade. I was on my way to a slumber party and was wearing my brand new ShopKo Willow Bay jeans for the special occasion. I got on to the bus and sat in my seat by my friend. It was a very loud and busy bus, but being the rule follower I was, I sat quietly in my seat for the 40 min ride. When my friend’s house appeared, I waited for the bus to come to a complete stop and stood up. There was some resistance when I tried to stand. When I stood, there were strands of lime green Apple Bubbalicious Bubblegum hanging off my rear end. I turned to see a blonde boy laughing uncontrollably in the back of the bus. I told him, “You are not a nice boy!”
I walked off the bus with my head held high and my dignity intact. I spent that night in my pajama pants while my friend’s mom worked on my jeans to get the gum out. Fast forward to high school, and that same boy walked into a basketball game that I was cheerleading at! I recognized him immediately…same blonde hair and bright blue eyes. I walked up and said, “Do you remember me?” He did not. I jogged his memory, and he said, “Oh, I am so sorry! I DO remember you. You told me I wasn’t a nice boy.”
Since he apologized, we started hanging out together with mutual friends through high school, and then started dating in college, got engaged, and then got married! God had a pretty incredible plan with that bus ride! Travis and I have been married almost 18 years. We have three pretty incredible kids and own Chocolaterie Stam – a Chocolate & Gelato Shop in downtown Rochester.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 ESV
Laura Kycek: the wonder yearsIt all started over backyard baseball and trading baseball cards. Mike’s older brother and my older brother were in the same grade and played together, so before play dates were called that, we were all just young kids having fun enjoying life together. That being said, I don’t know many couple who have known their spouse since they were 6 & 7 years old. Growing up in a small town and small school, Mike and I ran in the same group of friends and activities. It wasn’t hard to take notice of the tall lanky trumpet player, tenor singing, Knowledge Bowl and Key Club president.
High school promWe attended the same youth group with our friends, and New Year’s Eve, 1997, when he wouldn’t let go of my hand after the prayer circle, my interest was piqued. We started officially dating a couple months later and were inseparable. Junior prom, movie dates, school activities – key moments in high school romances. Sadly, we broke up midway through his senior year, and he headed off to college. I was heartbroken.
We kept in contact every now and then through email or AOL messenger (we are old school). Several failed relationships for both of us. Graduating college. Starting careers. Moving to different cities. Somehow we both ended up back in the Rochester area.
In September 2008, I tracked him down on Facebook and we started messaging. We arranged to meet at Caribou on 2nd Street to catch up. We chatted for hours and hugged before parting ways in the parking lot. I went with the intention of visiting an old friend and not getting my hopes up. I was going to be satisfied with friendship. He left thinking, “I’m going to marry that girl.” By October we were dating, by November he purchased a ring, and in December he proposed. We were married on June 19, 2009, at the church I grew up in and where my parents were married. I even wore the same veil my mom wore.
Here we are 14 years and two boys later. Ours is still my favorite love story.
Stephanie Conkright: blind dateI was living in Istanbul, Turkey, working with a local church. An enthusiastic, newly-engaged friend came to visit me and, believing every single woman should be as happy as she, decided I needed a husband. In the Turkish city where she lived she knew of an eligible American Air Force captain. He was preparing to return to America to train for missionary service in Turkey. What could be more perfect than to meet someone who shared a common vision!
But how to bring these two together? Perhaps arranging a small gathering where they could casually meet. After much skillful persuasion on her part, we agreed to her plan.
As the day drew near, she unexpectedly announced she could no longer host this event. It was suddenly left up to Garth to arrange something. Did I mention that we lived in cities that were a 14-hour bus trip apart? Now some of you may be calling me desperate for a husband by this point. In my defense, I had already planned to travel to that region and thought it a good use of my time and resources to swing by and check him out.
Garth arranged for us to meet at a restaurant under the condition that we each bring a friend. This was intended to help ease the obvious awkwardness. I brought a friend who was happy to accept a free meal. She assured me that if this “date” was not successful she knew of alternatives. To my utter humiliation she began to list off all the single guys she knew within a 50-mile radius. She suggested we could try visiting them too! I assured her I was not on a countrywide search for a husband. I did have some self-respect.
It was an “interesting” evening. Upon our arrival Garth and his friend were already seated across the table from each other. Consequently, I ended up sitting next to Garth where I had a great view of his forearms but not much else. Meanwhile our friends cheerily dominated the conversation. During a brief pause, I told a story about a recent experience. I had been invited to spend the night in a very poor village. In the middle of the night I was awakened by my host shrieking and poking a long knitting needle under my bed. The Turkish word she was shouting could mean either rat, or mouse. I told myself it was only a mouse and fell back to sleep. For some reason this story greatly intrigued Garth. He definitely wanted to get to know this woman better. That began a long-distance courtship. We were married four and eight months later. But that’s another story.
The post Four tales of “how we met” appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Twyla and Pete Pederson, 65 years of marriageI met Pete at Northwestern College in MPLS in 1954. He was from Billings, MT and I was a farm girl from OK. We were both raised in Christian homes and both asked Jesus to be our Savior in pre-teen years. We dated “off and on” for three years before we got married. Pete says we did all our fighting before we got married. When we did get married, we vowed before God that He would be the head of our marriage.
In 1961, Pete was hired as a part time Minister of Music at Calvary. He held that position for 30 years besides us both teaching music in the Rochester Public Schools for 30 years. Music was our life but so was how God was growing us. Pete is an extrovert and I’m an introvert. I tried to change Pete, but when nagging didn’t work I prayed to God for help. Interestingly, God changed me and my attitude.
We were blessed with two wonderful children, Garth and his sister, Patrice. We dedicated them to God and He sent Garth and his family to Africa and had Patrice become a godly professor at Bethel University. Our family is very important to us, and we pray daily for them. God just seems to make us and our family stronger. We now have 15 in our family and it’s growing.
Twyla, Pete, and family at their 65th anniversary celebrationWhen we retired, God gave us different avenues of service. We did lots of traveling–we took five trips to Africa and now spend our winters in Florida where God continues to work through us.
Our love for God and each other grows sweeter every day, and I’m beyond grateful to God for giving us 65 years of marriage.
Often I go to the verse in Colossians 1:17…
“He was before all else and it is his power that holds everything together”.
Angie and Ray Wiens, 60 years of marriage in JuneRay and I will be married for 60 years on June 15. It certainly doesn’t seem that long, but when I think back on those 60 years, I see four definite stages. The first one is marriage without children, then marriage with children, then life as working professionals, and finally, retirement. All those stages taught to love each other more as we traveled our marriage journey.
Several things come to mind that were important in every part of our journey. One being that we took time to have devotions together as a couple/family. This was more difficult during the time we raised our three children, yet very important. We loved going to church and put that as a priority in whatever stage we were in our years of marriage. As much as we love to be together, it’s also important to have time to ourselves. Ray’s personal time was spent working in the gardens at our country home we had for 33 years. Mine was working on a project, reading a book or just sitting on our porch in a rocking chair enjoying the fresh air.
We loved to travel and we took as many opportunities to travel as we could. Just taking a car ride on a Sunday afternoon was refreshing for us -not so much for the children-left them home when they were teenagers:)
God has blessed us in so many ways. We have learned and are still learning to depend on our Savior and Lord in the “Best of Times” as well as the more difficult times. The cancer journey that Ray has been on for the past 11 years has us leaning more on God for whatever lies ahead, but still thankful that we are enjoying our married life. GOD IS GOOD!
Sharon and Dick Bjerkaas, 58 years of marriageThis “Month of Love” is the month when Dick and I were married. February 16th would have been our 60th wedding anniversary. Dick passed away in August 2021, but I am very grateful for the 58 ½ years the Lord granted us together. Our families attended the same rural Free Church in west central Minnesota.
My first recollection of seeing Dick was at a church event when we were 5 and 6 years old. A precious memory is of his father being my Sunday school teacher when I was in the 5th-6th grade. I do not recall details of the lessons, but will forever remember his large farmer’s hands teaching from a very worn Bible. Dick and I grew up together in that church and youth group. We treasured our families’ friendship and celebrated major holidays and events together through the years and are grateful to have been blessed with a solid Christian heritage in our ancestry.
We didn’t start dating until after I graduated from high school and Dick was home from his first year of college. Apparently, he saw the “hometown girl” in a new light! We grew up and dated in the 50s in what was one of the best times for youth – the styles and music were classic and it was a more peaceful time.
We were married in 1963 after Dick returned from his Army Reserve training. We’ve been gifted with three adult children and spouses and eight grandchildren, and treasure the memories of our ordinary, beautiful life together.
The post Long and happy marriages: Twyla, Angie, and Sharon appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Yvette KidmanEditor’s note: while not currently attending Calvary, Yvette is beloved by many of us here and has generously agreed to share her professional biblical counsel on marriage issues.
Our Negative Cycle – The Enemy“To love at all is to be vulnerable.” – C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves
“There is no fear in love. But perfect loves drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” I John 4:18 NIV
“You are a cruel, rigid, and uncaring parent,” accuses Marsha. “You never pay any attention to me or the kids, you just go to work, come home and watch football.” Bob stares blankly back at her and then retorts in a harsh tone, “Well, you’re a push over. You let the kids have anything they want, you never tell them no, and they run right over you.” They go back and forth arguing until Bob storms away retreating into the basement and slamming the door behind him. This type of argument is as common and predictable for Marsha and Bob as the sun rising every morning.
What just happened? Was this just a parenting conflict? Was this a power struggle about who is right? Certainly, both explanations make sense. But what if there is something deeper going on under the surface that is moving the couple’s predictable pattern? According to Dr. Sue Johnson, the question that lovers need answered is, ‘Are you there for me?’ When that question is answered then conflict and other issues are more easily resolved.
Couples co-create their negative cycle and couples can work together to change it. The negative cycle gets started when one person is needing connection or support (attachment) and the other misses the cue. Marsha was already feeling alone and disconnected when her anger moved her to pursue Bob through harsh criticism. She was blaming him for her bad feelings. His fear response took over, so he attacks back with criticism too, which is blaming Marsha for his feelings. Soon, he feels defeated being convinced that he will never ‘get it right’, so he withdraws and shuts down. This triggers Marsha’s shame because she’s just been rejected and abandoned. Their disconnection is maintained through fear and shame. Both people are hurt and convinced the most important person in their life is truly their enemy.
The way couples change their negative cycle is to work together to see the cycle as the enemy rather than each other. They must slow things down; seeking to understand their feelings, the story in their head and identify their longing for connection (attachment). However, this will only occur when they can access their softer more vulnerable emotions (remorse, regret, sad, lonely, hurt, despair, insecurity, hopelessness, shame) that are being suppressed by the stronger protective emotions (fear, anger, and shame). Yes, shame is in both categories. God wired us with emotions. Your feelings move you toward what matters and away from danger. Emotions will make sense when taken the time to explore.
First and foremost, God must be our source for love (attachment) and identity, not our partner. His unconditional love will transform our shame. Then we can risk revealing our longings and insecurities. When our vulnerability is received with tender respect and compassion, an emotional bond occurs, and the relationship bond is strengthened. Over time, the question “Are you there for me?” gets answered.
Of course, for many couples, their negative cycle has been happening for so long that the wounds are deep, and the walls are high. Trust has been destroyed. They may need professional help to find their connection again. Additionally, there may be other mental health issues that need to be addressed first that are contributing to the negative cycle. Childhood trauma, anxiety, depression, and ADHD are the most common. Please be encouraged that there is help and treatment for these issues.
Negative cycles show up in all our close relationships. So you can us these ideas with any of the distressed relationships you experience. Please keep reminding yourself, that you can only control your part in the pattern. You are responsible FOR your emotions, thoughts and behaviors. You are responsible TO the other person (Cloud & Townsend). You can care about their feelings, but you are not responsible FOR their feelings. That said, some people are not emotionally safe because of their own childhood development that didn’t occur well.
Finally, there is NOTHING wrong with you for wanting to be close to your spouse or another. God created you for connection, connection with Him and with others (attachment). He gave Adam and Eve to each other so they would not be “alone”. (Genesis 2:18) Even when you don’t feel seen, heard, valued and loved by your loved one, you are always seen, heard, valued and loved by the Lord. He will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). He is our perfect attachment being and truly is always there for us.
Disclaimer: Emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual abuse is real. Seek help if you are being hurt or if you are doing the hurting.
Book Recommendations:
Created for Connection – (Sue Johnson and Kenneth Sandefer) – Couples
Boundaries (Cloud & Townsend) – Horizontal Relationships
The Pressures Off (Larry Crabb) – Vertical Relationship
Tired of Trying to Measure Up (Jeff VanVonderen) – Shame
Yvette Kidman is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist trained in Emotionally Focused Therapy. She has been married to Mark for 30 years and has 3 daughters ages 25, 24 and 19. When she is not seeing clients, you’ll find her with friends, cooking or reading books on relationships, always testing what is said through God’s Word.
The post Help for troubled marriages appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Mindy SlettedahlCrafting around holidays has become a bit of a tradition for my family. I try to find crafts we can make together and use as seasonal decor: pumpkins in the fall, ornaments at Christmas, suncatchers in spring and summer…it also helps me feel better about not keeping the piles and piles of crafts they come home with.
Several years ago my girls and I made Swedish hearts out of felt for Valentine’s day and fell in love with them. The hearts quickly became a favorite toy and I often found my little girls unweaving and reweaving them back together. Traditionally they are made as Christmas ornaments, but I think they are sweet for Valentine’s day and brighten up the house after putting all the Christmas decor away.
Swedish hearts are made by weaving 2 pieces of colored paper, fabric, or felt together to create a small heart shaped basket. This year we used colorful scrapbook paper for a bright and colorful look. Personally I like the simplicity of the more solid colors best. I did a quick google search and found a simple template to get us started with cutting our paper. Here are video tutorials for a paper heart design and one for a felt heart design.
The trick when weaving is instead of the basic over/under, you weave through and around each of the loops you cut. This creates the basket. After cutting and weaving the first heart the girls, 11 and 9, got the hang of it, and started cutting their own designs, we quickly had a small pile. To simplify for my 4 year old, big sisters helped him weave a simple heart together and we worked on cutting skills.
After cleaning up (when the kids lost interest), I threaded the hearts on some string and hung them up to decorate our front entry. The kids love seeing their creations displayed in our house and I’m planning on filling their hearts with candy for a fun Valentine’s surprise.
Mindy Slettedahl is the mom of three sweet kids and wife of Seth. She recently started Made New Creative knits and enjoys reading, crafting, baking and spontaneous kitchen dance parties.
The post Crafting with Mindy: Swedish hearts appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Vicki Tierney’s ice cream recommendations to pair with chocolate
Valentine’s day brings images of chocolate and decadent desserts to mind. There is nothing that can say “I love you” more than a homemade dessert. Are you looking to create such a dessert for a loved one, a group of friends or your family’s Valentine’s day party? The perfect dessert may just be as simple as a pan of brownies or a basic chocolate cake paired with the right ice cream. For ice cream recommendations we turned to ice cream expert and Flapdoodle co-owner, Vicki Tierney.
Classics ice cream pairs:
Vanilla-A standard pairing in many households. Vicki recommends a really good quality vanilla ice cream that uses real vanilla or vanilla beans. Use the simplicity of vanilla as a base for some toppings like hot fudge, black raspberry, or even a flavored liqueur to take your dessert to the next level.
Peanut butter, mint, or coffee– all of these flavors naturally pair with chocolate so if you want to break from the standard vanilla any of these flavors would be a hit accompanying a brownie or chocolate cake.
Fruit ice cream pairs:
Strawberry, cherry, or coconut ice cream– The first two would be reminiscent of chocolate covered strawberries or cherries, plus the pink appearance of these flavors looks especially lovely for Valentine’s Day. Drizzle caramel sauce over the coconut ice cream and chocolate cake for a German chocolate cake combination.
Next level delicious:
Salty caramel– Need I say more? The hint of saltiness in the ice cream with the sweetness of the brownie or cake is deliciously decadent.
Red velvet– The combination of chocolate, hints of cream cheese frosting, and the bright red pieces of red velvet cake make for a delicious and visually appealing Valentine’s Day dessert. This might be a stand alone ice cream if you don’t have time to make the brownies or cake.
Vicki Tierney
Vicki Tierney is married to Matt and mom to two young adult daughters and two furry golden retrievers. Together Vicki and Matt own Flapdoodles ice cream. She is involved in co-leading the Renovaré Precepts study at Calvary.
The post Valentine’s day ice cream & brownie pairs appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
FEAST 024 :: One of the Best Parenting Moves My Parents Ever MadeHumility is hard for Millennial kids.
My parents were those somewhat-typical parents who basically built their schedules entirely around my sister and I. They were running us from school to practice, or practice to home for dinner, then to the second activity of the night (and so on). We were the center of their world.
Honestly, as a kid, it was a pretty great. Their world revolved around me and my sister. We had their attention, and to a kid, attention is kind of everything. Attention is…love. Especially at that age. And their attention – we almost always had. Almost.
A NEW PRACTICEI’m not sure I know exactly when it started, but I’d guess some time around late elementary school for me is about right, but my parents decided to put into practice something new. They decided to start meeting up, about once a month, with two other couple they had known since they were a young married couple. The group of friends had drifted a bit, but the three families made a decision together to make time for a monthly gathering.
ONE time a month, they decided to prioritize themselves over us kids.
And I HATED IT.
AWKWARDThese other two families had kids about our age. And to be honest, they were plenty nice. Sure, there were some pieces that were a little awkward (but who isn’t awkward at that stage), and we weren’t really interested in a lot of the same activities or subjects of conversation. But the issue wasn’t really that these kids were bad to spend time with; that’s not why I hated it. I hated it because they weren’t MY friends. And because I couldn’t do what I WANTED to do.
I HATED IT.
BEST PARENTING MOVEAnd that’s why I call this one of the best parenting moves my parents ever made. They prioritized me and my sister almost always, and so once a month, we could “suffer” through a less-than-ideal social situation so that they could connect with friends and be encouraged. What that taught me was that not everything is about me.
HUMILITYThrough this simple act, my parents were teaching me humility. Was it always humility based in a love for, and submission to, Christ? No, but it was starting me down that path (and I had work that needed to be done there to be sure).
Biblical humility is an essential part of following Jesus well. Romans 12:3 talks about it this way: 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. This passage does work on us (or should) in two ways. First, we must be humble before God. He’s so much greater than we are that it’s almost laughable to compare.
COMPARISONBut for most of us, comparison to God is not the kind of humility we most struggle with. Rather, we struggle with the second kind of comparison: comparison to one another. Romans 12 continues on to talk about the one body with many parts, and that each part needs the other. This kind of humility is toward one another in the body of Christ; we need each other, and since we do, we should be humble with one another.
Philippians 2 digs into that same idea a little more:
3* Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8* And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Humility is the call of our lives. Why? Well, because it’s good and noble and helpful for starters. But even more so because Jesus, King of the Universe himself, chose humility. His act of selfless humility is what gives every person on Earth the opportunity to be saved.
In other words, humility can do some amazing things.
BALANCEThere is a delicate balance to strike in parenting. On one hand, we are given children as a stewardship to be cultivated and cared for and discipled, so they require a lot of our attention and time and focus. On the other, we are tasked with helping them learn true, biblical, spiritual humility. Humility – acknowledging that God is more important than me, and others’ needs often are more important than mine – is an essential part of growing faith in our children.
You don’t necessarily need to start a social club with your old friends to teach humility. In fairness, I’m not sure that’s even why my parents did that. But we do need to work to make sure that kids care more about Jesus and more about others than always fulfilling their own wants and desires. They need humility to grow.
How can we teach humility to our kids this week?
Until the next Feast,
Brian Martin
Need prayer? Email me back directly, or go to our website to request prayer: Prayer – Calvary Evangelical Free Church (calvaryefree.church)
The post One of the Best Parenting Moves My Parents Ever Made appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Pray for wisdom in planning and executing Calvary’s upcoming youth Dominican Republic Mission trip scheduled for June 20 – July 3. Pray for the youth, leaders (and their families) as they consider going on the trip since applications are due by January 25. Pray that this trip will make a positive spiritual impact in the lives of those going and those they minister to.
The post Pray for DR Mission Trip appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
The post Men’s No Regrets Conference appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Pray for MAF pilot, Ryan Koher, who has been imprisoned since November 4 in Mozambique. Pray that all accusations will be dropped and that he will be released from prison. Pray for strength, peace and hope for Ryan and his wife Annabel and their 2 young sons who are back in Idaho at MAF’s headquarters.
The post Pray for MAF Pilot appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join art instructor, Jill Pearson, for an evening of artsy fun for a cause! Jill will guide you step by step through the process of designing and painting your personal “Word of Intention” sign and bookmark. Jill has successfully taught this process many times, even to beginners and non-artsy people.
A word of intention is not a resolution but a word that will set the tone for your year and remind you how you want to live your life.
The post Watercolor Class fundraiser for DR mission trip appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Praise God for Calvary’s generous gift to our Ukraine Project to help New Quarter Church. Pray for the church and its six church plants as they minister to those around them in Kyiv that many will come to Christ. Continue to pray for the entire country that the war will end so that the people and country can heal.
The post Ukraine – New Quarter Church appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life…Genesis 2:7
By Melissa Meyers
New beginnings and fresh starts and healthy rhythms. Nothing says this like a newborn baby. As a NICU nurse, I have the privilege of attending high risk and preterm deliveries. I have lost track of the number of babies I have seen enter the world. But at every birth, when their slippery bodies emerge, via the birth canal or a cesarean, there is always a pause. A silence. A waiting for this new child to cry.
When that cry comes, the whole room relaxes and breathes with this new life. Sometimes, the crying doesn’t come, and a little help is needed. We clear the airway, and help the breaths go in. The baby turns from blue to pink. For breath is life. Usually, when a baby gets help with their airway it isn’t long afterwards that they too are crying, and the room relaxes and breathes with this new life. From that moment on, this baby’s life stretches out before them with endless possibilities for what their future holds.
My own Emily Joy, 4 days old, in 2008.The beginning of a new year can be like a new baby. We stand on the edge thinking of all the hopes and possibilities for what lies ahead. But, for it to be a year full of life, we need room to breathe. Literally and spiritually. Sometimes that takes a little life planning. In this edition of The Stir, we bring to you some ways to find that breathing room. Jill Swanson shares with us in a fun post on helping your closet that is suffering with Attention Deficient Disorder. Jill Pearson writes about ways to find your rhythm in kitchen, along with her recommendations on how much garlic should or should not be put in a meat ball. Kathy Martin opens her front door and lets us peek inside to see how a well-organized house can be run. Kristi Muston has collected ways to get the wiggles out of those little ones in indoor spaces in Rochester and reviews Kate Laack’s new book, In the Shade of Olive Trees. And I share about how you can design a mini retreat that focuses on how to reflect on the past year and how to look at what God is doing in your life in the year to come.
Perhaps, you are in a stage of life, like a premature baby, where you need a little help to breathe. Let me tell you it takes a whole team of skilled people to resuscitate a premature baby. Fortunately, here at Calvary there are women all around you that want to be there for you and give you some oxygen. Renovare will be kicking off on January 19. Consider joining a Bible study group of Thursday mornings or Monday evenings. Be encouraged as you read the wisdom for moms, that Marilynn Moe, age 87, has taken the time to share with us. You’ll also hear from three Calvary women who have had some fresh starts in their lives.
Here’s to new starts, fresh beginnings and healthy rhythms in 2023!
Which, I have now named, the year of breath.
Melissa Meyers is co-editor of The Stir, wife to John, and mother to Malcolm (17) and Emily (14). She is a Neonatal Nurse and Creative Writer. She is the author of, Beneath the Ancient Dust: Inspirational Stories from Nine Years in Afghanistan. At Calvary, she enjoys teaching on Thursday mornings with Heather at Renovaré. She will accept an invitation out for coffee anytime.
The post Welcome to the 2023 edition of The Stir appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
a devotional by Marilynn Moe, age 87Editor’s note- if you have not had the opportunity to meet Marilynn yet, get on it! She will give you a giant smile, her friendly words will be sprinkled with scripture, and she will remember you and many of the details you share. She does cool things like throw birthday parties for people turning 100 at Homestead and write poetry (we’re sharing one of her poems this month), and play hymns on the piano. She is a firecracker wrapped in a pretty scarf! -Jill
So teach us to number our days, that we may present to Thee a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12What a gift each of our families are. My husband, Darrel and I were blessed with six children- one of whom we adopted. I do recognize that when there are several little ones at home at the same time, some days seem a bit overwhelming, don’t they? No way could I keep up with a family of six today, but He doesn’t require that today. God is so good and so gracious to give us enough strength and energy for what He has in mind that we will need. No more and no less! Isn’t He wonderful?? Yes!
They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles, they will run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint Isaiah 40:31
But…there are days when clouds have obscured this wonderful promise and I’ve felt like the bottom has dropped out of physical and emotional energy, strength, and “able” meter. Then I find a very needed promise by God Himself to Paul and to me:
My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in (your) weakness. Darrel and MarilynnAnd Paul’s and my joyful response is:
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon me…for when I am weak, then i am strong. 2Corinthians 12:9-10
As a mom, God gave me special understanding by having to wait almost three years for our first-born, giving us the unique privilege of adopting a baby, and allowing me to birth our last child at age 42! I must admit that those very busy days with the children at home went by much, much faster than I ever thought possible. We had 36 years of school-age children, and now we’e had 26 years in which they are all on their own.
Honestly, I didn’t always do the best job some days, but I will say, I looked to the dear Lord for direction and guidance each day. Making memories with our children is a chance we get only once. Prioritize having them know Jesus, who will be their Guide through their life. I am glad for the busy teaching/learning times and for the fun playtimes: a winter winer roast outside in the snow; a lemonade stand on a hot summer afternoon; a trip to the town’s swimming pool and a Dairy Queen stop on the way home; the 4-H projects we worked on throughout the year for the county fair in the fall; the times we took extended summer trips in the old station wagon to interesting places like the scenic Badlands and Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. What wonderful Creator we have.
The Moe’s and their six childrenDarrel and Marilynn with 2 of their great-grandchildrenFor it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13We have traveled to every continent, taken numerous bus trips across the USA and Canada, and now at this age, we do armchair traveling watching the videos of our trips. You might say our traveling days were Go-Go, then Go-Slow, and now Go-No! I will forever stand in awe of the beauty, grandeur and magnificence of God’s handiwork in creation. Consider the vastness of the oceans, the majestic of the Rockies, the huge layers of ice in Antarctica, the glorious fjords in Norway and walking where Jesus walked in the Holy Land, to name just a few. How great Thou art!
I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10My life verse at age 87:
They will still yield fruit in old age. They shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:14-15God has me in His Continuing Education 101 class, and He has given me a front row seat to watch His Word work in many lives. My work will be complete when I stand before Him, face to face in Glory.
“What a day, glorious day that will be!”
Marilynn Moe is a former music teacher of piano, organ, and accordion for a period of 56 years in North Dakota. She is grandma to 19 and great-grandma to 19 more, who live scattered across the United States. She is thankful to stay connected through visits, email, phone, and FaceTime.
The post Full of sap: wisdom for moms from Marilynn appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Interview by Jill PearsonHoward & Linda DuncanAs a young girl growing up in a multi-generational Christian household in a blue-collar immigrant neighborhood in Chicago, Linda Duncan did not suspect that her life would hold such a whirlwind of experiences. I heard bits and pieces of Linda’s story in our Renovaré small group, but I wanted to hear more, so we met at Fiddlehead Coffee recently for an interview.
In characteristic Linda-style, she did not just order coffee, she asked the employees to decide what she should drink, sat down across from me with a lovely vanilla latte, and shared stories from her compelling life. You see, she has a knack for engaging people of all ages and walks of life wherever she goes, which is the fruit of a life dedicated to ministry and education.
In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
Proverbs 16:9
Linda met and married Howard shortly after college. He graduated from Moody and was ready to embark on ministry, and Linda was fresh out of nursing school. During the Vietnam War, they landed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Instead of being sent overseas, Howard was handed the keys to a church gym and asked to run their youth program as his assignment. This was just the beginning. A verse she feels describes their story well is Proverbs 16:9… In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
After two years, they headed back to Chicago to run a large teen program at Northside Gospel Center, which is where the AWANA program was founded. Their kids, Darlene, and Mark, were in the first ever Cubbies program. For the next twenty years, the Duncans ministered to youth in one of the most diverse areas of Chicago, driving a van around to pick up kids from extremely challenging homes.
At this time North Park University recruited Linda and she began teaching on the nursing faculty. In the summers, they moved the family north to run Camp Awana, a Christian camp near West Bend, WI. During these years, they were also leading weekend retreats at the camp for forty-four weekends/year, driving 125 miles each way, and then returning in time for Linda to head back to her position at North Park on Mondays. When asked for a word that described the essence of their family life, it was “adventure.”
Linda, Howard, and their crewIn 1995, the Lord led them to leave the Center. Linda turned her focus to teaching. She eventually became the Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences at North Park, launching three graduate programs that tripled the size of the school’s student body. She shared how she would disarm her students by saying, “I am a Jesus follower, and when I look at each of you, I see an amazing work of God.” She quipped, “No one ever pushed back on being called amazing.” She said that Howard called her a “Proverbs 31 woman, soaring to the highest heights,” during these busy years.
In 2002, Howard and Linda stepped back into ministry at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL. Part of the assignment was working with 50 to 60 young single professionals called 20/20. Linda felt the 20/20 group was composed of individuals serious about seeking God and was a blessing to work with. In 2012, Howard resigned from Calvary and assumed the role of Senior Pastor of the North Side Gospel Center. God had brought them full circle and enabled them to merge the Center into a vibrant ministry called The Bridge Community Church (a multisite congregation).
Linda (center) in her role as Dean of NursingLinda is thankful for the experiences her children had as part of a family living on mission. As well as having exposure to people of many races and ethnicities, she said a seminal experience for her children was taking care of their dying grandfather, who lived across the alley. She believes it is one of the factors for both Mark and Darlene going into the medical field…Darlene as a pulmonary specialist and critical care doctor at Mayo and Mark as a psychiatrist at the University of Washington.
Linda and Howard decided to move to Rochester in 2021 to be close to Darlene and her family. She said God’s orders this year have been “to rest.” This message was reiterated when Linda had a non-traumatic subdural brain bleed last January and was told to take it easy for a year after surgery. She has still found ways to serve her family and volunteer as a Sparks leader at Calvary, as well as do some traveling. She also takes “grandma prayers” very seriously, saying that the stakes have never been higher for our youth. She looks forward to seeing what God has for her next as she adapts to the pace and culture of Rochester and integrates into the Calvary family.
I encourage everyone to get to know Linda. She is honest, direct, and passionate about ministry. She has a wealth of wisdom about living intentionally and sharing the gospel compassionately. She is certainly a Proverbs 31 woman whom I admire deeply.
The post From inner-city ministry to dean of nursing to starting fresh in Rochester: meet Linda Duncan appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Each month we highlight two women of Calvary. This is a fun way to get to know them better. If you see them around church be sure to say hi! You may see Wendy strumming her guitar on worship team or serving as an usher, and you may see Kate leading worship with her husband, Jamie, our new worship pastor. Both grew up thousands of miles from here and have made fresh starts in Rochester.
Meet Wendy PhillipsJim & Wendy during campaign seasonTell us about your family.
Jim and I just celebrated our 20th anniversary on Nov 30. Jim retired in July 2021 and serves on the Oronoco City Council as Vice Mayor, while both Jim and I serve on the Oronoco Planning & Zoning Commission.
Our blended family consists of my daughter, Leigh Cara (37) and her new husband,Kyle Everson (39). They were married on September 24th, and live in Nashville. Leigh is a musician/singer/songwriter in a band called Sequoia South. Kyle tours with Martina McBride, playing steel guitar.
Jim’s son, Andrew (27) is also a musician/songwriter of electronic music and likes to day trade in crypto currency.
Wendy’s Indian familyWendy’s step-sonWendy’s daughter & son-in-lawWe have family in India, Ezekiel & Dorothy (both 39) and Enoch (12). In 2009, Jim and I went on a mission trip to India and served as “visiting professors” at a Baptist Bible College & Seminary, located in the heart of Hindu country in a tiny village just outside of Bangalore. It was there we met Ezekiel & Dorothy. Ezekiel was a graduate of the college and had stayed on as a teacher, and Dorothy was his new bride (married in 2007). In early 2020, Ezekiel reached out to me through Messenger. We began communicating regularly and God knit our hearts together. God has blessed Jim and I through bringing Ezekiel, Dorothy, and Enoch into our family and it has been our joy to support Bethel Bible Church, their church plant.
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years.
My family spent the long California summers on Pine Flats Lake, water skiing. I learned to ski when I was 4 years old, and it was a great way to grow up. I’ll never forget the time I was in the water and just about ready to yell “hit it” when a fish nibbled on my leg. It totally freaked me out, and I kicked off my ski and swam for the shore as fast as I could. My brother and sister still tell the story, some 60 years later, of how watching this scene was like watching a cartoon — because once I reached the shore (according to the storytellers) I kept swimming for another 20 feet up onto the sand. My family has never let me live it down and that story continues to get a BIG laugh at family gatherings.
How did you end up in Rochester?
I lived in California my entire life, and Jim had lived there for 40+ years. We knew we wanted to leave California but we stayed to care for my mom until she passed away at the age of 93. Caring for my mom at the end of her life blessed our hearts and we knew that we wanted to care for Jim’s elderly parents at the end of their lives too, so we moved to Minnesota. Four weeks after arriving, in May of 2020, Jim’s mom passed away. Jim’s dad turned 93 in September.
What makes you laugh?
My daughter, Leigh Cara. My kitties, Kali and Bear.
What are three things you deeply value?
Faith, Family, Country.
What is something you love to do that you get to do nearly every day?
I love to observe nature. Living in the “country setting” of Oronoco provides lots of opportunity to watch the wildlife and take in the beauty that surrounds me. God uses nature to slow me down and soothe my soul.
What was it like running for political office? The sweets and the sours?
The moral of this story is, “be careful what you pray for!!” One night, in early 2021, I was watching the news and was feeling completely discouraged at the state of affairs in our country (and our world). I told God that I wanted to be part of the solution and I asked Him to tell me what to do, promising that whatever He directed me to do, I would do. A few weeks later, I met a sitting MN House Rep… this was the first of many doors God would open before me.
SOURS: Politics is truly a “blood sport.”
SWEETS: Running for the MN State House was one of the biggest “faith walks” of my life and my dependence on God to get me through each day was as critical as the air I breathe. The campaign also deepened the bond between Jim and me, as we worked side-by-side throughout the campaign.
What is something you have that is of sentimental value?
Christmas ornaments. I have ornaments on my tree that were my mom’s and are between 60-70 years old, and ornaments from my daughter that are from all over the world.
Meet Kate RobinsonTell us about your family.
Jamie and I were married Christmas 2004, we have two daughters, a dog and a hamster. Since being married we have lived in 3 countries, 6 towns and 9 homes.
How does music and worship impact your life?
Music has always been part of my life. Growing up we had a keyboard and guitars at home and my Dad would often lead worship in our church (he played a 12 string acoustic!) My siblings and I would learn and lead songs for our family devotion times. I began to play the flute at age 8 and had dreams of playing in an orchestra or jazz band. This was my life plan until about age 17, but that’s another story! Since my teens I have loved to sit at the piano and play classical pieces, worship songs and hymns. I would often get my parents old church song books out and just sit and work my way through singing and playing. I have continued this into adult life but with an iPad instead of a songbook! This is my favourite kind of “quiet time”, I get to sing praises and prayers to God whilst making music and filling my mind with His truths that I can hum and recall throughout the day.
Music continues to be a large part of our family life and there is rarely a time in our home when someone isn’t singing, playing an instrument or listening to music.
Name two things you consider yourself to be very good at.
Talking and organising!
What do you look forward to about joining Calvary?
I’m looking forward to meeting new people and getting to know the congregation, and finding a place to serve in the church.
Share a core childhood memory and a bit about your younger years.
I was born in the UK, about 30 minutes from Salisbury and Stonehenge. I am the youngest of three and have an older brother and sister. I grew up in a seaside town in Cornwall, South West England.
I have many childhood memories, mainly family vacations camping in the rain, sitting and playing at the beach whatever the weather, and my Dad telling us kids not to touch the sides of the tent! One of my favourite memories is my Mum baking and cooking at weekends. She would bake cakes and other tasty treats on Saturday, always letting me help if I asked and taught me many a recipe. She would make her own jam and marmalade, bread, yogurt and more, the kitchen always seemed to be a hive of activity! Sunday lunch would always be a full roast after church, with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding and gravy, followed by a homemade dessert. Sunday evening we would have tea served with the cakes that had been made Saturday morning, as a family in the living room whilst watching TV shows.
How did you end up in Rochester?
We moved to Rochester as a family from the UK in 2017 when Jamie took up the position of Worship Pastor at Autumn Ridge Church.
We are really excited to become part of the family at Calvary!
The post Faces of Calvary: Wendy & Kate appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Jill SwansonWhen it comes to dressing with out stressing, do you feel more put-out than put-together? Do you stand dazed as you ponder a closet full of clothes yet ‘nothing to wear?’ Perhaps your closet suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder. This is a common condition I see in my practice as an image stylist and I have dealt with it personally, not only the closet sense, but also mentally and organizationally throughout my own life.
The reality is that closet chaos (ADD or not) happens to many of us at one time or another – especially after a busy holiday season!
Consider this statistic:
The average woman wears 10% of the clothes in her closet 90% of the time.
In an effort to help the millions of other sisters facing this disease and wanting a fresh start to the new year, I have developed a simple antidote to quickly and efficiently organize the distressed closet.
- PRIORITIZE
Set aside one “project day” to re-organize your closet. Think about your personal wardrobe needs. What is your daily “uniform?” Jeans and a t-shirt, dress pants and a blouse or a sweat suit? Are you content with that dress code? Has it changed with your body’s changes over the last 5+ years?
Assess your overall closet contents, what are you storing? Clothes, shoes, and accessories? Or is it a permanent resting ground for clutter? Some closets are used as storage units for unfinished projects or heirloom collections filled with relics of sentimental value. Ladies, reclaim your wardrobe’s rightful space!
- MINIMIZE
Swing open those closet doors and prepare to divide and conquer. Everything is a matter of simple categorization so toss everything into one of the following four piles: Finders, keepers, losers, weepers.
- Finders: Remnants that hang dormant until we find something to make them work before they can be utilized (i.e. “someday when I find the right pair of slacks for this sweater, I’ll wear it.”)
- Keepers: Clothes and accessories we love to wear …often. They are the jewels that generate compliments or make us feel fabulous – that prime “10 percent.”
- Losers: The cursed objects we wish we’d never bought or those that make us feel or look miserable. For example: the washed-out peach blouse that I bought for my floral skirt (yes, I still make occasional mistakes).
- Weepers: Tokens of love – things we’ll never use, but would be ashamed to discard: the outfit from a sister’s wedding, or the designer suit “invested” in generations back.
- ORGANIZE
NOW, let’s bring this project to completion!
Set a date for the Finders. Alter, accessorize or lose weight by the deadline
–if it isn’t met, get rid of it! Choose a new home for the Losers (the Salvation Army, a mission donation or a women’s shelter). Store the weepers in a trunk upstairs and out of your closet where they can be visited once a year. And finally, return the Keepers to the closet.
Place clothing on hangers with the hooks facing outward. Once you’ve worn something, flip the hanger in the correct direction (so the open end is away from you). At the end of the season, you will know what you wore and what you can get rid of next year.
While closet organizing can prove to be a challenging task at best, the concept of maintenance seems impossible. Yet with these simple techniques and tips, this wardrobe therapy will certainly curb symptoms of Closet A.D.D.
The closet is not a place to fear, but a tranquil retreat where we can discover fun and fashionable facets of our personality, and re-dress our attitude!
Jill Swanson is an Image Coach, ADHD survivor, and reformed clutter bug, whose God given purpose is to help women make the most of what they’ve got, effortlessly every day, so they can get on with life! For more help visit: www.jillswanson.com or grab a copy of Jill’s book, “Simply Stylish, Look Great Spend Less.” You will often find Jill serving on Sunday mornings at the Welcome Desk at Calvary.
The post Closet ADD appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Jill PearsonThis month, instead of featuring a fabulous Calvary cook and her mouth-watering recipe, “lettuce” contemplate how to find our rhythm in the kitchen. If internet memes are any sign, it’s not an easy task to feed ourselves and our families EVERY LOVIN’ DAY!
I’m not here to say each meal should be from scratch, full of the vegetables you grew in your organic garden and lovingly canned in the fall, unless you’re Jana Pecinovsky. Nor am I suggesting you are going to find your source of passion and fulfillment among the pots and pans of life. We just need to find our kitchen rhythm, which can take awhile and will be tweaked as we transition between different seasons of life.
When I was first married and a spring chicken in the kitchen, I did not know the difference between a garlic clove and a garlic bulb…hence the infamous “Mediterranean Meatball” story that we love to tell at our house, in which my husband kindly choked down the most garlicky ball of meat this side of the Mediterranean, and coughed out a considerate “yum” with watery eyes and burning sinuses. Dave is happy to report that now I am a seasoned hen in the kitchen.
If you find yourself struggling with the daunting task of feeding your tribe or feeling guilty because you served Honey Bunches of Oats for the third dinner this week, maybe these tips can help. By the way, if your hubs is the main cook, share these tips with him!
- Choose a meal planning day, sit down with a calendar, and just do it. I typically plan on Sundays and shop on Mondays. That’s my rhythm. To reduce decision fatigue, you could build in a structure, like Italian on Mondays, Mexican on Tuesdays, leftovers on Wednesday, hubby makes chili on Thursdays, pizza on Fridays (no-brainer.) One of my friends picked her top 20 meals and just made a rotation. Another friend serves only popcorn on Sunday evenings.
At this stage of empty-nesting, I am motivated by buying cookbooks and working my way through all those yummy new recipes with interesting ingredients and techniques, but that’s because I no longer have little picky creatures squinching their noses at my creative cuisine and begging for chicken nuggets. Find what most motivates you (short of sending your kids to the neighbor’s house for dinner) and develop your rhythm around it.
-
Batch cook. Your future self will bow down and kiss your feet. If you’re frying up hamburger for sloppy joes, fry up an extra pound or two and put them in the freezer for next week’s tater tot casserole. If it’s a meal or part of a meal that freezes well, double or triple it. For a hot minute, I got on the once-a-month cooking bandwagon. But then I fell off because I had to make too many decisions and do too much work all at once. I’m better working a week at a time. That’s my rhythm. Find yours.
-
Set the mood. You can create a little cooking ambience, even if you have a toddler underfoot and a baby slung on your hip. Turn on some music. Light a candle. Pour a beverage in a fancy glass, even if it’s water. Don a cute apron. Make a little plate of nibblers. I once complained to a friend that I was so hungry while cooking meals that I would practically eat a meal before the meal. She said, “If it makes cooking more enjoyable, make yourself a little plate of appetizers and consider it part of your meal.” Genius! Also, get the best chef’s knife you can afford. It’s a game changer!
You get the idea. Start with an attitude shift, which may require copious amounts of prayer and petition. Pray in the spirit of my favorite Stormie O’Martian prayer: “Lord, give my husband a new wife, and let her be me!” Once you’ve adjusted that attitude to embrace the privilege of nourishing your family, commit to planning. Find your rhythm. Make it fun. Soon you’ll be sashaying around the kitchen like you’re Rachel Ray!
Jill Pearson is co-editor of The Stir, wife to Dave, and mom to three young adults who have flown the nest but are easily lured back with an offer of dinner. She owns and operates Riverwood Studio, an art education business, and finds lots of creative ways to serve at Calvary.
The post Cooks of Calvary: 3 kitchen rhythms appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Kristi MustonWhether you’re new to Minnesota, or, like me, you’ve lived here your whole life, winter can be hard. The days are shorter, colder, and often cloudier, and I will be the first one to admit that even though I love fresh air, cold weather is not my favorite. And so far, the same is true of my 19-month old daughter Sophia. She loves being outside in the warmer months, but has yet to learn to love the snow.
Winter provides new challenges for me as the mom of a younger toddler. While I know that someday, Sophia may love bundling up to go on a winter hike, build a snowman, or go sledding, right now, I need to find different ways to fight cabin fever as the winter months drag on. In the past year, I have learned that getting out of the house together at least a few days a week improves my own mental health, which in turn helps me parent better. This healthy life rhythm was easier in the summer when we could walk to a nearby park. More recently, we’ve started “going on adventures” around town to take advantage of the indoor activities Rochester has to offer for parents and young kids.
I was surprised by how many indoor options there are here in town. Whether you’re looking for options during the week, the weekend, all day, or just a few hours, Rochester has a variety of places to entertain toddlers and preschoolers.
Rochester Public Library
As an avid reader myself, the library is always going to top my recommendation list!
The Rochester Public Library provides some play spaces for younger children as well as lots of space to read books. The winter months are a perfect time to pick out some books to read together as a family in front of a fire as well. It hosts family story time on Saturdays from 10:30 -11 a.m. and provides additional family tabletop activities on Sundays. The library is open seven days a week.
Quarry Hill Nature Center
Quarry Hill park is a popular hiking/walking destination for warmer months, but the indoor nature center is open nearly every day of the year from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The nature center boasts a variety of fish, turtles, snakes, and honey bees, and provides a warm space to explore and learn about local wildlife. My daughter and I also love exploring the book treehouse loft!
Apache Mall
Aside from shopping or mall walking, the Apache Mall has several places to entertain younger kids. The first is a smaller playing/climbing center just outside of Scheel’s entrance. With a variety of brightly colored animals, shapes, and buildings made out of the foam, this playcenter is a fun location for toddlers to climb around. It is free and accessible during mall hours. While it may not keep kids entertained for a long stretch of time, we’ve found it is a fun way to break up an afternoon, especially if we have other errands in the mall!
The Apache Mall is also home to the Spark Children’s Museum. Spark provides a wide range of activities for children of all ages, including a special section for children under three. Sophia loves playing with the giant water table and sorting colored pegs in what I call the modern “light bright” section. There is a giant climbing structure and large play kitchen area as well rotating daily activities in the classrooms. It is a wonderful spot for children to explore, learn, and play freely. Spark is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (and until 6 p.m. on Thursday), and also hosts additional special events and camps throughout the year. On the first Sunday of every month, there is free admission for all visitors. Additional pricing and membership information can be found on their website.
Indoor Play Zones/Gyms: Monkey Junction and Pipsqueaks
Several friends recommended Monkey Junction to me this past spring, and when it opened this fall, it quickly became our favorite place to spend the morning. Resurrection and Life Lutheran Church opens up its 4500 60th Ave Nw. campus for this playcenter Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is staffed by friendly and welcoming volunteers, and features a built-in playground, a gym area filled with push/riding toys, foam pieces for forts and climbing, and a large playroom with a variety of activities for 0-6 year olds. During the week, they also provide a snack and storytime. Monkey Junction is a wonderful ministry and a chance for young kids to run around in a safe space, and for moms to connect over coffee if they wish! The cost is $2 a child, and you can find out more info–including driving directions due to construction–on their Facebook page. Sophia and I are there nearly every week, so hopefully, we will bump into some of you there!
Pipsqueaks is housed at the United Way building near downtown Rochester. This is another play area geared towards 1-5 year olds that includes a small playground, push/riding toys, a playhouse, and train tables. Pipsqueaks is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and provides a great atmosphere for kids to burn off some energy. The space has plenty of tables for kids to break for snack or lunch as well. Cost is $2 a child each day.
Calvary’s Open Book, Open Gym
I heard only great things about Calvary’s Open Book, Open Gym days last year, so I am excited this will be happening again! Beginning on January 11, Calvary will host a story time and open gym hour on Wednesdays from 9:30-11 a.m. for preschool-aged kids (and younger). This is a great chance for moms to connect together while their kids play, and is a great time to invite others to our church. I have already invited a number of moms from the community who are excited to stop by.
While this is not an exhaustive list—and many ideas have been taken from some of you—I hope these ideas can spark some family adventures of your own this winter.
Kristi Muston has lived in Rochester for almost a decade. She is married to Michael and mother to Sophia. After teaching English for 9 years, Kristi is now a stay-at-home mom. In her spare moments, she loves reading, running, and eating dessert. At Calvary, she co-edits The Stir blog, and is involved with the worship team and Renovare.
The post Indoor winter activities for young kids appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Melissa Meyers-Reflecting on the year past…looking to the year ahead
If you are reading this you may be a goal-oriented person. I am. I love dreaming of the future, making lists, and crossing things off my lists. Full confession, I sometimes write down something I just accomplished on the To-Do list after I have done the task. I then just immediately put a hard straight line through it. Done. Completed. Achieved.
When I had small children, I felt completely disrupted. Multiple things on the list went unaccomplished. Many days there were no lists. Dreaming for the future seemed impossible. I tried to live up to the advice of embracing the moment and the messiness. Sometimes it worked. In the end, I decided to embrace my personality instead.
I met someone who planned mini-retreats for herself. She’d plan half a day or even a whole day to pray and reflect on what was working in her life? What was not. A day set apart to dream and open herself up to the direction she felt God moving in her life. This spoke to me, and every year I try to do this in some format. I’ve also done it when I feel like life has snowballed me and I need to feel grounded.
The nitty-gritty
First: Allow yourself to do this. No excuses. There will never be a perfect time. Schedule it.
When you have small children at home, you can NOT do this at home. Hire a babysitter, have them visit Grandma, or have your spouse watch them on a day off or take a day off of work. If you stay in your house, you’ll want to clean something and you’ll be interrupted.
Some places to retreat: Go to a library and reserve a quiet room, find a coffee shop with a nook, Caribou Coffee in Red Wing would make a lovely day trip for this, find someone who has a cabin, or visit a retreat center. Three places I know that offer spaces for individual retreats: ARC located in Stanchfield, Mount Olivet Retreat Center in Farmington, or Pacem in Terris in Isanti, Minnesota. I had a lovely stay several years ago at Pacem in Terris during a particularly trying time in my life. Design your retreat based on your personality and budget.
Even if you do not have small children at home, you may also want to carve away time at a designated spot for a fresh perspective. Or to just to get away from the everyday needs a house, teenagers, or in my case, the needy pets bring.
The Retreat: What do I do now?
A little bit of planning goes a long way. Pack your Bible. Treat yourself to your favorite beverage and snacks. Bring your favorite pens, markers, notebooks or sketch pads. Adult coloring book. Favorite music playlist. Laptop. Silence or put your phone on vibrate. Try to unplug and resist looking at your phone. During your retreat time, you may start by praying or reading scripture that is meaningful to you. You can start working through a list of question. You may take time to just listen to music and color or doodle or sing. Take time to just drink your coffee and stare out a window. This time is meant to be active in listening as much as it is in reflection.
Here’s some questions to work through/or create a list of questions prior to your retreat time:
Reflect back on 2022. Write out how the year went. Unexpected changes. Answered prayers. Unanswered prayers. Surprises. Disappointments. Pray over what you wrote.
Or here are some specific questions to get yourself started:
What is working in my life? What is not working?
How is my relationship with my spouse? with my children?
What is going well in my job/life? What is not going well?
In the next year ahead, what would I like to change? How do I need to change?
How do I feel God leading me? How is God leading my family?
Am I paying attention to my spiritual life?
What goals do I have for the year ahead? Personal goals. Work goals. Relationship goals. Vacation goals. or Family goals.
Looking forward in 2023…I’d like to focus on…then list it.
Wrap it up:
If you planned your time to be 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Allow some time in the last hour to reflect and take something concrete from your time away. Summarize your goals/reflections on a half sheet of paper or in a word document. Find a verse that might summarize the direction you feel God leading you this next year. Plan on tacking this up somewhere to review throughout the year.
Share it:
In the next week, carve some time away and share your time and the sheet you used to summarize your focus in the next year with someone close to you. This may be a good friend, your spouse, your grown children, or your mother. Share them with me! I’d love to hear what your dreams are. Have grace with yourself. This really isn’t about accomplishing a million things. It’s about reflecting on what God is doing in your life, and allowing yourself to dream again.
Melissa Meyers is co-editor of The Stir, wife to John, and mother to Malcolm (17) and Emily (14). She is a Neonatal Nurse and Creative Writer. She is the author of, Beneath the Ancient Dust: Inspirational Stories from Nine Years in Afghanistan. At Calvary, she enjoys teaching on Thursday mornings with Heather at Renovaré. She will accept an invitation out for coffee anytime.
The post Planning your 2023 mini-retreat appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Kathy MartinThere is something about beginning a new year that inspires organization. Listed below is a top 10 list of tips and favorite organizing tools I have found useful. Hopefully you can glean one or two that will benefit you as well.
TIP #1 Create a specific list of the what you would like to organize – This identifies what you hope to accomplish and is a tool to keep you on task and minimize distractions. A list is also a bonus for those of us that find enjoyment in checking off items as they are complete.
TIP #2Start Small – It’s easier to start organizing one drawer or cupboard at a time, rather than your entire kitchen in one day. Small successes can motivate taking on larger projects.
TIP #3Maximize the use of vertical space – Install shelves up the side(s) of your closet to maximize the use of vertical space. Add a hanging shelf basket or 2 in spots where there is currently open, unusable space. There is a lot of wasted vertical space under many kitchen and bathroom sinks. My latest find is 2 tiered pull out drawer organizers for under sinks to maximize storage.
TIP #4Repurpose what you have – A plastic crate is creative storage for flip flops and other sandals. It’s amazing how many pairs of shoes can be stored upright. Small fishing tackle boxes are perfect for jewelry storage and convenient for storing small items in a suitcase for travel. We kept clipboards that had built in storage underneath in our car for storing paper, crayons, and other activities to keep the kids entertained on car trips and our car clean from clutter.
TIP #5Label, Label, Label – When you open items that need to be refrigerated, use a sharpie to add the date to the lid or label to record when you opened the item. We used to wonder how long items had been opened until we implemented this system. It is a time saver when you clean out the fridge. If you store items in totes or bins, attach a label on the outside of the tote facing out so you can see at a glance what is in that tote. I attached clear plastic name tag holders to these bins to add labels noting what was inside each bin.
TIP #6Implement the one in, one out rule when possible – If you add a clothing item to your closet, remove a clothing item. If your kids get a new game or toy, remove one to donate or sell. Honestly, I still struggle with this one at times. Don’t even ask me how many puzzles I have.
TIP #7Observe how other people organize – Why reinvent the wheel? If you visit someone’s home that appears to have solved a certain organization dilemma, ask them what their secret is. We discovered a new way to store our baking pans while on vacation a couple years ago; our prior space had vertical dividers that we replaced with an easier to use pull-out drawer solution.
These last 3 tips are more specific ones that have saved me space and/or time:
TIP #8Roll clothing, when possible – Using a combination of folding and then rolling allows for more clothing to fit into drawers (and luggage) versus the fold and stack method. This works especially well for undergarments, socks, t-shirts, and leggings.
TIP #9Create a Spice List – I store my spices in a wooden bread box on my kitchen counter. This provides a dark yet easily accessible place to find most of my spices. Inside the door of the box, I keep a typed alphabetized list of all my spices including when I purchased them and when they expire. I add handwritten notes as I use up old or purchase new and then update the list a couple times a year. This list is handy to see at a glance to verify you have all the spices you need when preparing a new dish. This list could also be stored inside a cabinet door or a favorite cookbook.
TIP #10Receipt Folders – Yes, they have apps for organizing your shopping receipts but if you are like me, I keep the paper copies. Create 4 folders. Label one for the current month and the other 3 for the last 3 months (i.e., January 2023, December 2022, November 2022, and October 2022) and keep your receipts sorted in these folders by the purchase dates. Most stores allow up to 90 days on returns, so after 90 days the receipts in the oldest folder can be tossed. Exceptions to this include higher priced items such as appliances that you may want to keep longer.
Kathy Martin is married to Wes and the mother of two college students, Amanda and Josh. She manages the database and assists with the website at Calvary.
The post Kathy’s top 10 home organizing tips appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
By Kristi MustonI first met Kate Laack around nine years ago, and taught English in the same hallway for five of those years. As a colleague, I learned about Laack’s many passions, which include traveling and writing. Her debut novel In the Shade of Olive Trees transports the reader to the Italian coast, a place she has explored in her own travels.
In the Shade of Olive Trees centers on Julia Brooks’ path to healing following heartbreak. Left at the altar on her wedding day, she decides to take her honeymoon trip to Italy on her own. During her travels, she strives to cope with her shock and grief over her broken engagement, and wrestles with what a fresh start looks like. Her trip, as one would expect, does not go according to plan. She eventually ditches her itinerary and finds herself in the village of Porto Venere, where she meets a number of other women at the Olive Haven Women’s Retreat for Widowed Travelers. While there, she befriends a number of women and starts her journey towards healing.
This novel is a character-driven novel, and readers sit right next to Julia as she experiences the depths of her grief, the joys of new friendship, and the love-filled hope of a fresh start. While the story focuses on Julia, I enjoyed Laack’s large cast of secondary characters in the novel as well. Julia meets a number of women at the retreat, and each of the women are filled with depth. The reader experiences each woman’s heartache alongside Julia. It is rare for a book to have so many well-developed secondary characters, and this is a unique feature of Laack’s novel.
The women in this story deal with relatable tragedies, circumstances, and emotions. It is easy for a reader to connect with the characters and to feel uplifted by their hope. This is a novel about grief, resiliency, friendship, and healing. But it is also a novel about hope, love, and fresh starts.
In the Shade of Olive Trees is a great debut novel by one of our Calvary members! This is a novel that would appeal to a wide-range of readers, especially those who are fans of contemporary fiction or women’s literature. Plus, it takes place during an Italian summer, making it a wonderful “escape” from the cold months of Minnesota winter. Laack’s story is filled with warmth, sunshine, beaches, and good food. It is a chance to travel to a small part of the Italian coast without ever having to leave your couch.
Kristi Muston has lived in Rochester for almost a decade. She is married to Michael and mother to Sophia. After teaching English for 9 years, Kristi is now a stay-at-home mom. In her spare moments, she loves reading, running, and eating dessert. At Calvary, she co-edits The Stir blog, and is involved with the worship team and Renovaré.
The post Book review: In the Shade of Olive Trees appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
On Christmas Eve, there will be a special “Cookie” Connection between the services in the gym. We are asking 20-25 people bring 2 dozen homemade treats your family loves to eat at Christmas. If you are willing, we would also like the recipe, which we will provide on recipe cards at the treats tables. Treats should be dropped off by 12:30pm on Christmas Eve, along with the recipe written on a 3×5 card.
We are also looking for 2 people to help clean up the kitchen and gym after the Cookie Connection on Dec. 24.
The post Cookie Connection appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Learn where Calvary is heading & Prepare for the Annual MeetingOn October 2, right after the 11:00 a.m. service, we are having a lunch and learn about the new comprehensive shepherding model—how we plan to know, feed, lead, and protect everyone who calls Calvary his or her church family, and how we intend to pass a healthy and faithful church on to the next generation.
Here are 3 things everyone needs to know…
1. Come informed! If you did not get the all-church email from Pastor Kyle several weeks ago with the Overview of the CSM (Comprehensive Shepherding Model), pick up a hard copy at the Welcome Center today and study it.
2. Come expectant! This is an important step in our intentional pursuit of making disciples with passion for Christ and compassion for people. Pray with us and trust how God can work through these plans.
3. Come hungry! Prior to the meeting in the Sanctuary, there will be an all-church meal in the gym. We will feed you well and get you through the serving lines FAST so the informational meeting and Q/A can start by 1:00 and we can have you on your way home by 2:00.
If you can’t come to the meeting, we will live-stream / record it. It is important you participate in this presentation and discussion.
Live Steam of Calvary Business meetingFor those who are unable to join us for our lunch and learn at Calvary. View our Chartering a Course business meeting via our live stream at 12:35pm.
Watch LiveComprehensive Shepherding Model VideosComprehensive Shepherding Model Playlist10 Videosvideo desc2:34B.L.E.S.S. L: Listen2:40B.L.E.S.S. E: Eat2:37B.L.E.S.S. S: Serve3:41B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21B.L.E.S.S. S: Share4:21The post Comprehensive Shepherding Model appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Mission trips can have a profound effect on one’s life. Speaking from experience you can get all ramped up about the impact you’ll have on the mission field that its easy to forget about the impact the mission field will have on you. You go to serve, teach and be a blessing to others and you come back feeling like you’re the one that has learned so much and received a rich blessing. You leave home and family to give of yourself but come to find God has expanded your family. In other words by going on a mission trip its not only God sending you to minister but He is ministering to you. You’ll encounter God working in ways you’ve never experience, drawing you closer to Him in the process through this opportunity to serve. The goal for any mission trip is to draw others to Christ, including ourselves.
Why go to the Dominican Republic? We’ll I’m glad you asked, check out this snapshot from our last trip to gain an idea of how we served in the past DR snapshot.
Still on the fence or have further questions, stop by Room 212 (Youth Room) on Sunday, Dec 18 at 10:30am for an info. meeting about the 2023 Dominican Republic trip. This is not a mandatory meeting just for those seeking additional information before signing up.
Thinking about joining us in 2023? Click on the following info packet for more info concerning our June 20 – July 3 DR Trip. Look it over, pray and return the application to John by the Jan. 25 deadline.
Meet our Missionaires : Mackey’s blogCheck out this video from our last trip:* DR Snapshot * DR Application The post Dominican Republic Trip appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill Pearson warmly welcomes you to the December issue of the blog, full of stories and scripture about "The Spirit of Giving."
The post A December welcome appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
In her December devotional, Kristi Muston shares a sweet memory of an opportunity to bless another in a grocery store.
The post December devotional: a spirit of giving appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Missionaries sharing God's love
The post Pray for Missionaries appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
December 24: 1:00pm, 2:45pm, 4:30pm
The post Christmas Eve appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Details The work of the gospel is not limited by anything. Not war, not bombs and tanks, and not people who wish to do it harm! In that same spirit, Calvary is partnering with New Quarter Church in Kyiv, Ukraine, to help them rebuild and expand their church facility that was partially destroyed by a…
The post Ukraine Fundraiser appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
interview by Jill Pearson What brought Debby Saethre and her husband, John, to Rochester from California last July was not our stellar weather and sandy beaches. The decision happened after a Zoom call with their three daughters, who were offering them a special and unexpected gift. Debby and John raised five children while moving often…
The post From daughter to mother: a gift of peace of mind appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
FEAST 026 [A QUICK NOTE] If you are receiving this message, it’s because you have a child who has participated in programs at Calvary recently. We hope you find these articles helpful and encouraging, but you can unsubscribe from them below if you so desire. FEAST 026 :: THORNS AND SNARES RESPONSIBILITY As parents, we…
The post THORNS AND SNARES appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
November 6, 13, 20, and 27
The post Grace and Gratitude appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Church Center, a mobile app and attendee website
The post Attendee Website & App appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Use Church Center to manage your group.
The post Group Leader Help appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Friday, November 25 at 7:00pm
The post The Preacher’s Daughters Christmas Concert appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Our new co-editor, Kristi Muston, welcomes us into the cozy month of November, inviting us to explore stories of thankfulness and adoption.
The post A November of thankfulness & family appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Anne Fitz shares how she was adopted twice and how she reconnected with her birth mom and grandma.
The post Adopted twice appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Ann Shepardson shares the story of staying grateful through a difficult fostering experience and failed adoption.
The post Finding gratitude when dreams change appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Heather shares how she and Adam's family grew from one to seven children through births and both domestic and international adoptions.
The post The Cheney’s family story appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill Pearson shares how she creates an inviting fall atmosphere in her home that appeals to the five senses and is ready for company.
The post Autumn touches for your home appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Elizabeth Walby gets us started early with a Christmas craft that focuses on the reason for the season.
The post Crafting with Elizabeth: Jesse Tree appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Each month, we get to know two women of Calvary through an interview and photos. Amy Heitz and Tara Brannon are featured this month.
The post Faces of Calvary: meet Amy & Tara appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa Meyers ushers us into October with a cozy welcome and a glimpse into this month's Stir, in which we explore the theme of Common Bonds.
The post Octobers & Common bonds appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
In this devotional, Jill Pearson explores the biblical story of the paralytic and what it means to be an "at the corner" friend.
The post Devotional: “At the corners” friendship appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Ann Martin describes the joys and challenges of raising a child with special needs, and the blessing of doing it in community.
The post A special kind of common bond appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Leslie Gaska shares a testimony of fits and starts, a battle with alcoholism, and a sweet friendship God used to confirm her faith.
The post Faith and friendship: a testimony appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
LeeAnn Tebben shares of her enduring friendship with Becky Homme and how it has evolved and deepened through the years.
The post The evolution of a friendship appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Get to know Angie Schatz and Wendy Scheckel, two women who attend Calvary and share a bit about their lives and families.
The post Faces of Calvary: Meet Angie & Wendy appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill Pearson, Sylvia Thorn, and Denise King share about the history and blessing of Thursday morning Bible studies at Calvary.
The post Bonding over bibles at Renovaré appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Ann Knodel, leader of the Prayer and Care Ministry, shares the joy and importance of sending cards, visiting and calling shut-ins.
The post Prayer & Care Ministry Highlight appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Nancy Monsen shares her delight in bringing meals to people in need, along with two handy and delicious recipes.
The post Cooks of Calvary: food that blesses appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
This month, Kristi Muston reviews a historical novel that highlights love and friendship by Christian author, Amanda Dykes.
The post Book review: Set the Stars Alight appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
September 14, Youth Group Kickoff for Grades 6 – 12
The post Youth Group Kickoff appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa welcomes you to the September "Harvest" edition of The Stir.
The post Welcome to the harvest edition appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jana Pecinovský gives Jill a tour of her kitchen and garden and shares her powerful testimony of God's pursuit.
The post From seed to harvest: Jana’s testimony appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Sandy Schad shares about the joys of honey bees and the fun of running The Bee Shed with her husband, Chris.
The post Sandy Schad and The Bee Shed appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Amy Sauder and Jodi Ouverson are two of the fabulous women of Calvary. Read about their lives and then be sure to meet them in person!
The post Faces of Calvary: meet Amy & Jodi appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Katie King shares tips to help the back to school transition go smoothly, even if you happen to have three jobs and four kids at three schools!
The post Back to school with Katie appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
This month, Calvary's Hanne Lucier, a native of Norway, shares a recipe for comle, otherwise known as potato dumplings. Dig in!
The post Cooks of Calvary: Hanne makes comle appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
LeeAnn Tebben reviews a book she chose as her favorite story of farming the land for our September "Harvest" theme.
The post Book Review: Giants in the Earth appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
by Candace Gommels Editor’s note: I have enjoyed following Candace, who always looks cute and sassy in her tool belt with her canine sidekicks, as she shares the barn renovation journey on Instagram @myoldredbarn. Since this was written, she and husband Tom have completed the outside of the barn and are moving to the indoor…
The post Candace renovates a barn appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Lila Manuell describes how she has supported her kids as they have transitioned to college life. She shares about her grief and joy.
The post Supporting your college age kids appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
A devotional on lessons learned from spending time at Joni and friends. What kind of harvest will we reap? Is there a harvest ahead.
The post Devotional: Stephanie reflects on the harvest appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
High School Reality Conference on November 11-12
The post Reality Apologetics Conference appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Thursday, September 15th at 9:30 - 11:00am at Essex Park
The post Women’s Ministries Fall Kick-Off appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Women's, Thursday morning, small group Bible Studies.
The post Renovare Women’s Bible Study appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
ReachGlobal, Montreal
The post Steve and Jane Wheeler appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
We offer Cubbies, Sparks, T&T Wednesdays at 6:25 pm
The post AWANA Club Registration appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill welcomes you to the August edition of The Stir with a creative retelling of Genesis 1.
The post Earth’s crammed with heaven: August thoughts on faith and creativity appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jody Pederson shares the testimony of a life composed of music, faith, and missions.
The post The composition of a life appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Find out about some fun social opportunities in the near future.
The post Upcoming church and community events appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
This month we hear from several more active women around Calvary. Continued from July.
The post Women on the move, part 2 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Adorning the Dark is a book review about being a Christian and a creative by author Andrew Peterson. He encourages us to be creative.
The post Adorning the Dark: by Andrew Peterson appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Nancy Sunderman shares her passion of fiber arts. She demonstrates how she turns wool into yarn on her favorite spinning wheel.
The post Fiber Artist Nancy Sunderman shares her love of all things yarn appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill Pearson shares her love of art and art education and her recent endeavor to create paintings for the sanctuary.
The post Faith and fine art: creating art for Calvary appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Learn about Briar Daire's talent for making beautiful cookies and a beautiful life.
The post Cooks of Calvary: Briar’s cookies are works of art appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Suzy Johnson directs a choir serving dementia patients and their care partners.
The post Resounding Voices Choir: Suzy brings music to dementia patients appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Meet Helene, Ginger, and Kaitlin, three of our fabulous women of Calvary.
The post Faces of Calvary appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Find out what Jenna Daire finds so rewarding about performing on stage.
The post Taking the stage with Jenna appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Kate Laack shares her experience publishing her first novel.
The post Kate’s journey from passion to published appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Wednesdays, 7-8pm, 9 sessions starting September 14th
The post Financial Peace University (Virtual) Class appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Saturday, July 30
The post Foundation at Valleyfair appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
ReachGlobal, Sendai, Japan
The post Larry and Bella Mori appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Sunday, August 7 at Foster-Arend Park
The post All-Church Picnic & Baptism appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Wednesday, August 3 at 12:05pm
The post Attend a Honkers game with us! appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
ReachGlobal, Twin Cities Praise God for 30 years of service in Guatemala and the US: on June 22, 1992 they left for Guatemala with their 2 children. Pray for their continued ministry through ProMETA and other avenues.
The post Enrique and Becky Fernandez appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa Meyers welcomes you to the July issue of The Stir, in which we share stories, interviews, and spiritually thought-provoking words written by the women of Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
The post Welcome to the July blog appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Julianne Hagan shares ways we can walk in God's wisdom through a Bible reading method and routine.
The post God’s word for the wise appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Kari Kaus shares a testimony of the day her house burned down and the lessons and blessings that emerged from her trial by fire.
The post Trial by fire: we have a treasure in the heavens that does not fail appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Learn some tips on intentional grand parenting in this interview with Diane Enger.
The post Grandparenting with intention appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
This month in Faces of Calvary, we meet mother and daughter, Bonnie Kosmicki and Hannah Walters, and get a glimpse into life on the farm.
The post Faces of Calvary appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
This month, we check in with several Calvary ladies to find out how they stay healthy and active.
The post Women on the move, part 1 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Gail Peterson, Calvary's IT Director, shares how movement has been a consistent and joyful part of her life.
The post The way I move appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill Pearson shares her memories of Oma and her wonderful zucchini bread recipe.
The post Cooks of Calvary: Jill bakes Oma’s zucchini bread appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa Meyers reviews a book about the power of social connection and why she recommends it to people of faith.
The post Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Learn how to make a handprint flag for the 4th of July. This tutorial will show you step by step the process of making a handprint flag. Handprint flags are a fun way and easy way for kids to make a quick fourth of July craft.
The post How to make a handprint flag for the 4th of July appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
CRU, New Jersey Pray for wisdom for Tammy as she is one of two national directors for FamilyLife’s Expansion ministry. Pray that many families would experience healing and hope through the gospel-centered ministries delivered by the 84+ staff serving in cities such as Tuscaloosa, Orlando, Chattanooga, Des Moines and NYC. (Tammy is Ellen Swanson’s daughter.)
The post Rob and Tammy Mittuch appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
(Short term medical missionary from Calvary) Kendra is currently in Guatemala through June 25 with Christian Medical and Dental Association. Pray that God’s love would shine brightly to the women they are serving through the local ministry called Tamar’s Hope and they will be drawn to Him. Pray for safety, health and unity for the…
The post Kendra Petersen appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
MAF, Rochester Praise God for 3 candidates from their region who are completing their technical evaluations this summer. Pray that God will provide more pilots, mechanics, teachers and IT field technicians. Pray also for their trip to Sentani, Papua New Guinea in August to visit their daughter Anna, a MAF missionary teacher, as well as…
The post Garth and Jody Pederson appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Pray that God will be glorified and people drawn to Him as students share the gospel on the beach and a local college campus as well as help in some local ministries.
The post Kyle and Cassie Hellevang appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
View our new Calvary Women's June Blog posts; The Stir - stirring up one another to love and good works
The post The Stir Women’s Blog appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
In times that offer both gladness and sorrow, Jill ponders what it means to say, "The joy of the Lord is my strength."
The post Welcome to our June blog appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Devotional writer Jeni Harmon shares how our church community should be like a well-tended garden, based on Isaiah 58:11.
The post In the community garden appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join Pat Hallstrom for a delightful walk through the Mantorville bluebells.
The post Strolling through the bluebells with Pat appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Betsy Recker shares a testimony of God's provision in the face of cancer and other challenges facing her young family.
The post God provides at every turn appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Sarah and Gwen model a Titus 2 friendship through a Parenting Q&A.
The post A Titus 2 friendship appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Mary Hanson shares how she makes people feel at home with tips on hospitality.
The post Tips on hospitality appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Vicki recommends a novel that will take you on an adventure across the historic Lincoln Highway with some memorable characters.
The post Vicki reviews The Lincoln Highway appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join us for our summer kickoff event, 5pm, Saturday, May 21 at the Ansell home. We are a Calvary Young Adults group that gathers for bible study and special events.
The post Foundation Kickoff Cookout appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Faces of Calvary Meet Rachel, Diedre and Maureen, three of the lovely ladies of Calvary. Welcome to The Stir Jill shares how life can be like a spirograph design as she describes the purpose of The Stir. Stirring Each Other Up Melissa reflects on her years as a missionary and the encouragement in Hebrews 10:24…
The post The Stir Calvary Women’s Blog- May 2022 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Global World Missions, Tenwek Hospital near Nairobi, Kenya Pray for Will and Alisa and their 7 children as they live and serve far from home. Pray for wisdom, strength and good outcomes for Will as he deals with many difficult cases. Pray for Alisa as she ministers to other wives through Side By Side, the…
The post Will and Alisa Copeland appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Meet Rachel, Diedre and Maureen, three of the lovely ladies of Calvary.
The post Faces of Calvary appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Jill shares how life can be like a spirograph design as she describes the purpose of The Stir.
The post Welcome to The Stir appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Melissa reflects on her years as a missionary and the encouragement in Hebrews 10:24 to "stir up one another to love and good works."
The post Stirring Each Other Up appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as the Morgans continue to transition from ReachGlobal missionaries in Montreal to establishing their ministry in Missouri.
The post Adam and Michelle Morgan appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join us for Summer Wednesday Night Youth Group and register for Friday Youth Events for MS and HS students.
The post Summer Youth Group appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Register today and connect with your friends and meet new ones at various women's studies and events this summer.
The post Summer Weave Gatherings appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Reach Beyond, Raleigh, North Carolina
Pray for wisdom for Dr. Roy as he pursues many opportunities in “long distance medical education”, specifically working with individual missionaries who have unresolved health care needs and group training for doctors in Ecuador and other Latin American countries. Pray also for wisdom as they help their daughter Ruth and her family face multiple long term issues. Praise God for His guidance and care in their lives!
The post Roy and Marabeth Ringenberg appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Short term trip, 4/29-5/11, to Moldova with her church in Washington
Pray for safety and effective ministry for Grace and the rest of the team as they help missionaries their church supports. (Note: this trip was planned before the war in Ukraine began and now the focus of the trip has changed to serve refugees.) Pray that Grace can use her Russian language skills and that she will be a blessing to many.
The post Grace Barnhart appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Our registration is now closed.
For all Calvary women & friends!Thursday, May 5
9.30-11.15am
Pastor Kyle Bushre will be sharing with us
Our childcare for the Spring Brunch is full.
The post Women’s Spring Brunch appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Praise God for Easter!
Pray for missionaries who are spreading the life changing message of Easter around the world. (Check the display in the narthex for those whom Calvary helps support.) Pray that during this holy season, many will be drawn to Christ. Pray also that those missionaries far from friends and family will feel God’s presence in a special way during this time.
The post Pray for our missionaries appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
United World Missions in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic
Pray for the Mackey’s as they work with 3 village churches. Each of these churches have had major ministry challenges in the last 6 months. Pray for God’s wisdom and grace for the Mackey’s and all who are part of these church families. Pray especially for Becky who is in Minnesota for the next week, spending most of her time with her widowed mother who has health challenges.
The post Rick and Becky Mackey appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Serge in Cork, Ireland
Pray for stamina, good health and God’s blessings on Chuck and Kathy as they teach, preach, lead and host people. Pray for the people they minister to, “people who need Jesus, people who see no need for Jesus.” Pray that during this season of Lent those around them will be open to spiritual things and that most importantly that they would meet Jesus.
The post Chuck and Kathy Hohnbaum appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Good Friday Church Service
"Love Poured Out" - A Tenebrae Service
Come reflect on Christ’s great love for us at our 7:00 pm Good Friday Tenebrae service on April 15. Childcare is offered for children infant-Kindergarten. Please RSVP if planning to use childcare so we can plan accordingly.
Register for Childcare
Easter Sunday Church Services
A celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! He is alive!
You are invited to join us for our 9am or 11am Easter Services at Calvary E Free church. The 9am service will include traditional music while the 11am service will include contemporary music. Children’s programming for Infant – Kindergarten is provided for both services.
Please RSVP which service you plan to attend so we can best plan our seating.
Easter Service RSVP
Easter BreakfastA youth fundraiser breakfast will be served from 8:15am-10:30am. All funds from the breakfast will be pooled together and go towards raising support for student ministries summer mission trips and retreat scholarships.
"Love to the Uttermost" Devotion and Discussion Guideby John Piper
Download your copies now. We also have a few hard copies at the Welcome Desk for those who need them.
- Love to the Uttermost Devotional
- Love to the Uttermost Discussion Guide
Join us as we think, read, and pray about the love of Christ. Beginning Palm Sunday and running through Holy Week to Resurrection Sunday, we invite individuals and families to use:
- Love to the Uttermost by John Piper. These eight, short devotionals will be a welcome addition to your personal study as well as a great way to lead your family to think deeply about the gracious love of Jesus displayed on the cross.
- A Family or Group Discussion Guide Companion to Love to the Uttermost. You can use this resource as a companion tool alongside the ‘Uttermost’ devotional to engage with your family or small group in discussion about the devotional content.
The post Holy Week appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join us for a hearty breakfast and listen to a featured speaker.
The way to a man’s heart may not only be through his stomach, but a hearty breakfast sure doesn’t hurt. These regular Saturday morning breakfasts at Calvary feed you well and challenge you with a guest speaker to encourage and sharpen you game. Come help feed (we cook the breakfast) or be fed.
RSVP your attendance
RSVP
Men’s Breakfast: Saturday Morning, May 14th, 8:00am
The next Men’s breakfast is on May 14th, at 8 am, in Calvary’s
Fellowship Hall. Come for good food and company, and practical teaching.
Questions? Contact Pastor Larry
Contact
The post Men’s Breakfast appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
(Beyond Ukraine, we think of those with connections to the Calvary family in Ethiopia, Congo, Mali, Haiti, as well as other places.)
Pray for Christians around the world, living in war torn, violent conditions. Pray for safety, boldness in witness, peace, hope, and that evil will be restrained. Pray also that the Lord of the harvest will call others to go to the ends of the earth to minister and extend His kingdom.
The post Christians in War Torn Countries appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
"Love Poured Out" - A Tenebrae Service
Come reflect on Christ’s great love for us at our 7:00 pm Good Friday Tenebrae service on April 15. Childcare is offered for children infant-Kindergarten. Please RSVP if planning to use childcare so we can plan accordingly.
Register for Childcare
We have 2 services on Easter morning and a youth fundraiser breakfast. For more information visit Easter Sunday at Calvary E Free church.
"Love to the Uttermost" Devotion and Discussion Guideby John Piper
Download your copies now. We also have a few hard copies at the Welcome Desk for those who need them.
- Love to the Uttermost Devotional
- Love to the Uttermost Discussion Guide
Join us as we think, read, and pray about the love of Christ. Beginning Palm Sunday and running through Holy Week to Resurrection Sunday, we invite individuals and families to use:
- Love to the Uttermost by John Piper. These eight, short devotionals will be a welcome addition to your personal study as well as a great way to lead your family to think deeply about the gracious love of Jesus displayed on the cross.
- A Family or Group Discussion Guide Companion to Love to the Uttermost. You can use this resource as a companion tool alongside the ‘Uttermost’ devotional to engage with your family or small group in discussion about the devotional content.
The post Good Friday appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Calvary is getting ready to welcome our next Children’s Heart Project Guests – 3 little girls, 3 mamas, and 2 interpreters from Mongolia!! Tim and Michele Nelson and John and Martha Homme will be hosting them for the duration of their time in the US. Please join us in praying for these children/mamas/interpreters, their hosts, and the medical teams. There is also a table in the lobby on Sunday to sign up to provide some tangible items for the families and their guests. Thank you for considering joining us in this ministry!
Questions?
Please contact Dianne Orth, orth.dianne@gmail.com
Meal Sign Up
One way to bless and support this ministry is to provide a meal to the Homme and Nelson households. Sign-up now.
Hommes
Nelsons
The post Children’s Heart Project appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Calvary VBS is back for another year of creating a welcoming and intentional environment that invites kids to know Jesus and to become more dedicated disciples of Him. This year’s theme is Treasured! Students will embark on an epic quest through hidden ruins, ancient caves, and dense jungles. At Treasured VBS, kids dig into action-packed, faith-filled adventures. They’ll discover God’s greatest treasure isn’t diamonds, gems, or gold–it’s them!
VBS Details
- Date: June 6-9
- Time: 9:30am-Noon
- Who: Students entering grades *Kindergarten through 5 in the Fall of 2022
- Cost: Free!
- Questions: Contact Amy Bowers, abowers@calvaryefree.church
When registering your family please register all people within your household that will be participating on the same registration to make the check in process go smoothly.
Register
*children registering as a VBS Kindergartener must be age 5 by September 1, 2022.
Back by popular demand, our VBS will take place primarily outside and will include curbside drop-off and pick-up. However, VBS is a “rain or shine” situation as we do have the ability to be inside as needed due to weather.
For those who would desire masking for your kids to participate, we will be offering a “masks required when inside” group option that you can select at sign up.
The post Vacation Bible School appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Register for Calvary’s Membership ClassA new Membership Class will be offered on May 15th at 10:45 am in the Calvary Fireside Room for those wanting to learn more about connecting, maturing, and becoming a member of Calvary.
Any Questions? Contact Pastor Larry, lorth@calvaryefree.church
Please register to let us know to expect you. Thanks!
Register
The post Membership Class appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
A celebration of the resurrection of Jesus! He is alive!
You are invited to join us for our 9am or 11am Easter Services at Calvary E-Free church. The 9am service will include traditional music while the 11am service will include contemporary music
Please RSVP which service you plan to attend so we can best plan our seating.
Easter Service RSVP
A youth fundraiser breakfast will be served from 8:15am-10:30am. All funds from the breakfast will be pooled together and go towards raising support for student ministries summer mission trips and retreat scholarships.
The post Easter Sunday appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Join us June 12th at 12:15pm
For those who are NEW or FEEL new, come to Calvary’s Welcome Lunch! You’ll get a chance to meet some of our leaders, get a peek at Calvary’s DNA, and lean how to take the next steps toward being more involved with our community! We’ll be meeting in Calvary’s Gym. RSVP by using the button below:
Register
The post Welcome Lunch appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Middle School (6th-8th grade) students can register to serve in inner St. Paul through a youth missions program called Lead 222. Students will help with service projects, help with tutoring younger elementary students and serve in local neighborhood outreaches. Visit the Lead 222 site for additional information.
Registration coming soon!
The Lead 222 middle school mission trip is scheduled for July 17 through July 23rd. There will be an informational meeting on March 27 from 10:15-11:00 am.
Mission trips provide an awesome opportunity to stretch our faith and see God work in ways we otherwise would not experience. This trip will challenge your student to grow and not only step outside his/her comfort zone, but exercise their faith in God. Each night students will gather at the local church for a time of worship and celebration with other youth groups that are serving alongside them in neighboring communities.
The post Lead 222 Middle School Mission Trip appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
A Dominican dentist serving with Students International in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic. As a teen, Vanesa translated and served with the first mission teams Calvary sent to the DR.
Pray for fruitful ministry for the first mission team from the US since the pandemic began, arriving this weekend. Praise God for providing the funds needed to improve the clinic, and that older daughter Marcella recently went on a mission trip through Doulos, the school she attends. Pray for Vanesa as she raises her 2 daughters as a single parent.
The post Vanesa Capellan appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Interested in being baptized?
Our next scheduled baptism is April 24. If you are interested in being baptized and want to learn more, there is a baptism class scheduled on April 3 and April 10 at 10am in room 221. You only need to attend one class. Please register if you are interested in being baptized during our church service.
Register
BaptismJesus commands everyone who trusts in Him as Lord and Savior to go public with this relationship through the beautiful symbol of baptism. This class is for those interested in knowing more about baptism in the Bible for today’s believer. The one-hour baptism class is routinely scheduled during the year before our baptism services. An excellent online resource can be found here.
Questions?
Contact: Larry Orth
at lorth@calvaryefree.church.
Leader
Pastor Larry
Contact
The post Baptism appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
MAF, teacher at Hillcrest school, Papua, Indonesia
Pray for Anna and her 3rd grade students, some of whom come from missionary families and some from Indonesian families. Pray for the school as their island endures another wave of Covid. Praise God that Anna had a good Christmas break visiting her parents here in Rochester and participating in a friend’s wedding.
The post Anna Pederson appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
An Event for Preschoolers and their Grown-ups
9:30am Story; 10-11am Open Gym Friday, April 1 at Calvary, enter at Door #5
Rochester Friends with preschoolers…can I read to your kids?? Calvary is hosting a preschool story time and open gym for the littles to get out all those wiggles. We’d love to see you and your preschoolers there! (Siblings are of course welcome as well.) Our gym time will include hundreds of balloons!
The post Open Book, Open Gym appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Barnabas International, Irpin, Ukraine
Charley and Cheryl are back in the states due to the State Department’s heightened security alert. This is another sudden change in plans that they are coming to terms with. Please pray for their hearts as they continue to trust the Lord during uncertain times, for peace in Ukraine, and for their Ukrainian friends and ministry partners living with the threat of Russian aggression. Their church family in Irpin meets each night at 8 to pray. They thank God their security and hope are in Him, that He directs their steps, and are resting in the prayer found in Isaiah 33:2-6.
The post Charley and Cheryl Warner appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Saturday, March 19, 9 am-3 pm $10/person (for lunch)
Register
Parents of all ages (and especially with those with kids at home) are invited to Parent Summit 2022, the return of the event after a Covid hiatus! This year, we’ll be tackling the topic “Technology and Your Kids.”
Who: This event is designed specifically for parents with kids at home, but all parents, grandparents, and caregivers are certainly welcomed to join us!What: The event will focus on the practical and theological implications of technology related to kids of all ages. Breakout sessions may also include some other less tech-heavy topics, but specific topics are TBD. Additionally, we will be participating in a screening of the movie “Screenagers” as a part of the event. View “Screenagers” Trailer on YouTube.Childcare: We are offering childcare for this event for kids grade 5 and below. We are able to feed them lunch for this event (no additional charge), and may be able to offer a space for smaller kids to nap in a crib (limited capacity). Kids will have time to do crafts, play in the gym, and maybe even go outside depending on weather.
Our childcare team will be made up of adults and students who are participating in summer activities (missions trips and/or camps). While there is no charge for childcare, we would ask you to consider donating to help these students get to their events affordably! There is an option on the registration form to donate money for our childcare workers or on the day of, we can accept cash donations, or checks made out to CEFC with “Youth Fund” in the For line.
The post Parent Summit 2022 appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Register
Timber Bay Retreat for all 9-12 graders on February 25-27
This year’s focus will be on prayer. Prayer is an important part of our Christian life and should be an aspect of our walk that continues to develop and grow. Not only does prayer affect our lives and the lives of others, but it is also a way to communicate with the Lord and grow in our relationship with Him. At the heart of prayer is an act of worship to the Lord. Prayer is so important for the believer, yet we tend to neglect it or at times struggle to pray. We will dive into what is prayer, how important prayer is, and explore practical ways on how to become more consistent in our prayer times.
WHAT YOU GET AT TIMBER BAY CAMP
Cabins
Rustic heated cabins. Most cabins have private bathrooms and showers. Don’t forget your sleeping bag and toiletries.
Main Lodge
The Main Lodge is a beautiful log-style cabin with comfy couches and a glorious fireplace. Attached is a rec room with games and a snack lodge in the back.
Food Service
You’ll enjoy the healthy and fresh food made in the kitchen served family-style with separate salad, beverage and bread bars. If you have specific dietary needs please contact the camp chef at rachaelhanson@timberbay.org
Activities
Hiking, fishing, snow biking, field games, Snowshoeing, broomball, snow tubing, ice skating, and our annual Lip Sync Battle!
Retreat Details:
- Who: Students grades 9-12
- When: February 25-27, 2022
- Feb. 25 – 2:00pm departure from Calvary (please arrive at 1:30 for check in)
- Feb. 27- 4:45pm return to Calvary
- Cost: $110
- Register to fill out a 2022 Calvary Youth Ministries health form
Contact Amy Bowers at abowers@calvaryefree.church if you have any questions.
Timber Bay 2021
Timber Bay 2020
The post High School Winter Retreat appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
CEF, Alaska
Praise God for Ida Joy, born January 2. Pray for the entire family as they adjust to this precious new addition to the family! Also pray that Harlan’s first ministry trip to the village of Marshall February 11-13 will be a success as he shares the gospel and encourages a new missionary couple there.
The post Harlan and Josie Lloyd appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Retreat Details:
- Who: Students grades 6-12
- When: April 8-10, 2022
- April 8 – 12:30pm departure from Calvary – need to eat lunch before you come
- April 10- 5:00pm return to Calvary
- Cost: $110
- Register to fill out a 2022 Calvary Youth Ministries health form
Kids are staying at the Canal Park Lodge in Duluth.
They will need money for 4 meals – Friday dinner, Saturday lunch, Saturday supper, Sunday lunch. Breakfast is included at hotel.
Registration opens March 2
Register
District Blitz is an annual student ministries conference, for both middle school and high school students, hosted by the North Central District of the EFCA and the Minnesota Iowa Baptist Conference. The purpose of District Blitz is: To provide a conference that challenges students to love God, love one another, and love the lost.
Contact Amy Bowers at abowers@calvaryefree.church if you have any questions.
The post District Blitz Retreat appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Calvary Middle School and High School Youth Summer Camp
June 19th – 26thFor Youth Entering Grades 6th – 12thAt Lake Ann Summer Camp in Lake Ann, MI
Summer Programs
Offering tailored made programing for specific grades 6 – 12th, lakeanncamp.com/summer-camp/programs/
Playlist
4 Videos
CAMPERS ENTERING 6TH GRADE
2:12
CAMPERS ENTERING 7TH & 8TH GRADES
1:53
CAMPERS ENTERING 9TH GRADE
2:13
CAMPERS ENTERING 9TH-12TH GRADES
2:06
Registration
Calvary will be taking a group up to Lake Ann the week of June 19, leaving early Sunday morning and arriving at Camp Sunday night 6/19. Please register for the the second week of Camp, June 20-25. We will returning back to Calvary the following Saturday night, June 26. As registrations come in and as we get closer to the date, more details about departure and return will be emailed out.
Register
Learn More
Adventure Activities
View Adventure Activities
A breakdown of what activities each age group participates in over the week.
Camp life
View Camp life
What to expect as far as schedule, cabin, and food at camp.
FAQs
View FAQ’s
Answers you may be looking for.
Parents
Parent Info
Camp with a purpose! Find out how the camp trains and selects their counselors.
Virtual Tour
View Virtual Tour
Check out the camp yourself.
Housing Tour
View Housing Tour
Check out the cabins.
ARC
View ARC
Adventure, Recreation and Connection await your student at the ARC.
Fundraising: There are opportunities to raise some fund through serving at Calvary’s Easter Breakfast and/or providing childcare for the Parent Summitt in March. If you are interested in these events please email John at jchaco@calvaryefree.church to get signed up.Church discount: We believe camp can be a huge catalyst in your student’s faith formation and so we are helping offset costs a little by offering a discount for students registering with Calvary. Please use the code CEFC22 which will give you $120 off registrations. Discounts cannot be combined.Questions? Please contact John at jchaco@calvaryefree.church
The post Lake Ann Camp appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Men's Discipleship Group
Fight and Win the Battles of LifeJoin us anytime!Sundays, 10:45-noon, Feb. 20 – April 24, Calvary Room 221
Contact Dale at daleedwards1955@gmail.com for more information.
The post Every Man a Warrior appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
(Almaty, Kazakhstan)
Pray for safety, peace, and strength for the students, teachers and leaders as there has been much unrest in the country. Pray that their ministry will continue to produce much fruit as they train leaders for Central Asia.
The post Almaty Bible Institute appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
(ReachGlobal, Chicago)
Pray for the participants and leaders from two ministry conferences: a zoom one with participants in 12 time zones held this weekend and the second which will be on Saturday. Praise God that their son Josh is back home in South Carolina after living with them for 1.5 years as he was getting medical treatment. Pray also for Roy’s brother, Holgeir, who recently had a bone marrow transplant here at Mayo.
The post Roy and Darla Oksnevad appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.
Hello Calvary Church Family,
In case you haven’t seen this reported yet via local news outlets, Rochester Mayor Kim Norton made a city-wide emergency declaration this morning to mandate masks be worn in all indoor places that the public can access.
Here is a link to that declaration https://www.rochestermn.gov/home/showdocument?id=32818&t=637778353199612923
This is an FAQ document further clarifying it https://www.rochestermn.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/32820
This declaration goes into effect at 6am tomorrow, Sunday January 16th.
Calvary’s COVID Advisory group, which has met throughout the past 18 months to review the current status of COVID in order to make recommendations to the Leadership Board, met again earlier this afternoon to consider this mandate. One point that jumped out to us from the emergency declaration is that the CDC and MN Department of Health recommend community masking in indoor places regardless of vaccination status when that community is seeing a high transmission rate. A high transmission rate is determined by either a 7-day total number of new cases of 100 or more per 100,000 people or the positivity rate of over 10% for COVID tests being performed. Over the past week, Olmsted county has greatly exceeded both of those numbers with over 2000 new cases (20x higher than the 100 new cases) and a positivity rate of over 25% (more than 2.5x higher than the 10% rate).
Therefore, the COVID Advisory group is strongly recommending all who attend Calvary functions tomorrow comply with this declaration and wear a mask at all times unless you fall under one of the exemptions to the mandate. Some of these exemptions specific to Calvary are:
- Those who are medically unable to wear a mask
- Those who are on stage teaching or leading worship
- Those who are in a classroom setting teaching more than 6ft away from all participants
- Those who are actively eating or drinking
This will be further considered by the Leadership Board at their meeting on Monday, January 17th in addition to the Pastoral team and Ministry leaders over the next several days. There may be changes made to our response or modifications made to how ministry happens at Calvary based on these reviews, which will be communicated to the Calvary family later this week as necessary.
Respectfully, Your Brothers in Christ,
Kyle Bushre
Kyle Satterblom
Tim Nelson
Brian Martin
Wayne Bowers
The post Calvary Covid Update appeared first on Calvary Evangelical Free Church.