Immanuel Lutheran Church

Education & Literature

September 3, 2006

See upcoming

Adult Forum schedule

on back!!

The Education & Literature committee is made up of

folks whose mission is to continuously enrich our minds

and spirits through myriad opportunities for learning at

Immanuel. We are all lifelong learners – from Vacation Bible

School, Sunday School and Confirmation classes, through Adult

Forums, Bible studies, and special education events. The E & L

committee works hard to make available the resources we need for

our Christian study and formation. They are also responsible for our

library – which has been thoroughly overhauled and updated over the

past few years – and occasional book sales. Spiritually and intellectually

their efforts repeatedly touch us all.

From one of Immanuel’s lifelong learners –

I have had the wonderful opportunity to teach Sunday School for the past five years and am looking forward to my sixth. My first year was with the first graders, who preferred piggy-back rides to stories about the Good Samaritan or Jesus walking on water… When a third grade teaching spot opened up, I jumped on it! It is fun to see the kids get their bibles and watch their enthusiasm for reading the stories each week.

The educational opportunities and resources that Immanuel offers are incredible – for the youngest members through the oldest. As members of the congregation and with our community we are touching lives. Sunday School was an important part of my childhood, and I am blessed to be able to pass this experience on, to help teach others what it means to be a “child of God.”

-- Jon Severson

When members of the Education & Literature committee dream…

about ways to further enrich Immanuel’s learning environment and activities,

they dream of…

· Meeting rooms and Sunday School classrooms furnished with white boards and updated electronic equipment, to enhance everyone’s learning experience.

· A Library that much more fully serves the congregation – featuring computer stations with technical assistance, sponsoring book discussions, and becoming a focal point for enriching the spiritual and intellectual life of the entire church.

· New evening and weekend activities that could be entertaining as well as educational, such as family movie nights followed by discussion.

· An indoor play area in the new Commons for the little ones.

· More storage space for equipment, and uniform shelving and cabinets in the Sunday School rooms.

Immanuel Lutheran Church

Adult Forums

Adult Forum is a learning opportunity every Sunday during the school year. The Education & Literature committee brings in outside speakers and also engages the talents and resources from within the congregation to address current events or particular topics of interest. Adult Forum is also an occasional opportunity to showcase some of Immanuel’s interesting and exciting happenings, such as members’ trips to our sister congregation in Tanzania and a mission trip to Guatemala, and the youth’s own presentation of their experiences participating in mission trips or at the ELCA National Youth Gathering.

Adult Forum is offered between services, at 9:15am. Grab a cup of coffee and some goodies from the fellowship hour and join in the Forum!

Upcoming Adult Forums

September 17 -- Rally Day & Open House

This Sunday we’ll meet in the Sanctuary between services for a Tour & Treasure Hunt around our new spaces. Adults and children will travel from site to site to learn our way around the newly renovated facility. Along the way we’ll stop at various locations highlighting particular ministries. There will be treasures for the children at each stop along the way!

September 24 -- The Gathering of Light – A Movement of Hope

Mark Peterson, Executive Director

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

Mr. Peterson will present, from the context of Lutheran Social Service, the challenges and the sighs of encouragement for the building of civil society in Minnesota.

October 1 -- Immanuel and Mkmbizi in Partnership

Jan Johnshoy and Pastor Joy and Kate Bussert

Come for an hour of pictures and conversation with Jan Johnshoy and Pastor Joy and Kate Bussert about their recent study exchange trip to Immanuel’s partner congregation, Mkmbizi Lutheran Church of Iringa, Tanzania. They may throw in a few pictures of wild animals from their trip through Ruaha National Park as well!

October 8 -- ELCA National Youth Gathering

San Antonio, July 2006

Jenna Sethi, Jon Severson, and others

Come and enjoy a multi-media presentation highlighting the ELCA National Youth Gathering in San Antonio this past July. Youth Minister Jenna Sethi along with two chaperones and 17 Immanuel youth survived the Texas heat and had a wonderful time experiencing the larger work of the church.