Thank you to all who participated in the October 18 Forum on immigration issues. Special thanks to Gloria Dei member Monica Dooner Lindgren, our presenter, who provides legal services to the immigrant community. Gloria Dei's Immigrant Support Team provided an update on immigration issues and ways we are responding. Ongoing...
Energy Efficiency at Home
The heavens are yours, the earth is also yours; the world and all that is in it - you have founded them. ~ Psalms 89:1 When Earth was created, God entrusted us as its stewards and calls us to care for it and each other in all our actions. When...
There’s No Place Like Home: Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative
by Don Fulton and Pastor Javen Swanson In The Wizard of Oz Dorothy says, “There is no place like home.” Minnesota is not the land of Oz, yet we call Minnesota home and consider it a special place. Not everyone can make that claim. The reality of homelessness and systemic...
Creation Care
God first created Earth, and then created humankind. And the first task to humankind was to see that God’s creation was good and to care for it - to till and keep the Garden of Eden, and to care for the plants and animals on all the land and sea....
Breathless
by Lenore Franzen, Gloria Dei member Sometimes there are no words, and there shouldn’t be. George Floyd is trying to tell us something. His first message was clear, urgent: he couldn’t breathe because of the pressure Derek Chauvin applied to his neck for more than eight minutes before Mr. Floyd...
Rise O, Church Update
At the May 10 online congregational meeting it was reported that the Rise, O Church campaign has been paused until sometime this fall when we will reassess whether it is prudent to start up again. The congregation was assured that it remains an active, ongoing project with much activity and...
Gloria Dei Community for Young Adults
20-Somethings/30-Somethings Group By Chloe Ahlf Six years ago, I sat down with Meredith Pain, Rachel Manz and Megan Henry for the first time. We had all, separately, approached the pastors about a ministry group within Gloria Dei that focused on young adults. Nothing existed. So, Pastor Lois brought the four...
Support for our Community
Ways to Find Assistance Saint Paul Meal Distribution for Families in Need The City of Saint Paul has partnered with Youthprise, Arts-Us and the Sanneh Foundation to provide free meal service to Saint Paul families in need. Families with minor children in the home will be eligible to pick up one meal bag per child per week....
Coronavirus Fast Five Tips
By Parish Nurse Jill Stewart Health experts report that we are approaching the peak of the current COVID outbreak. We will need to be careful to protect ourselves for a while. In the meantime, all aspects of the outbreak are being studied and some helpful information is emerging. Handwashing is...
Virtually Present or Truly Present: On Deciding to Celebrate Holy Communion Online for Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday
by Pastor Bradley E. Schmeling, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, Saint Paul, Minnesota Read Pastor Bradley's full message. Summary: Gloria Dei celebrated Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday and Easter Sunday in its online worship services. We will continue to include Holy Communion on the last Sunday of the month while we continue...