His House – June

We usually write in this space about your wonderful donations or items that we need. Today I’m writing about how your wonderful donations make an impact in the lives of our neighbors.

We are working with Carver County in a food rescue program. Food that would be thrown out is recovered from restaurants and events and delivered to families that have a barrier getting to the food shelf.

In May we got a call from a single mother with 5 children. Mom works full time but doesn’t have a car. She rides to work with her co-worker. So, when she was out of food and had no way to get to the food shelf and no money to get to the grocery store she called His House for help.

His House had just received a large food donation from a church event. Our volunteers were able to pick it up and deliver it immediately to the family.

This is the same story over and over again. Whether it’s food, a mattress, a sofa, or clothes that your kids have outgrown, we know neighbors who are happy to receive these items. Yes, leftover food is on this list. After the community meal we help Chris Anderson redistribute the leftovers to families that couldn’t get to the meal but are still hungry.

So thank you for all the wonderful donations given to His House and RAK. We love sharing with our neighbors whatever God has blessed us with in our bin in the atrium of Mount Calvary, or in the kitchen refrigerator after a community meal.

Martha Brannon
His House/RAK

Foundation News – June 2018

Change can be a very good thing, if managed properly. What needs changing in your life?

Your Foundation is also changing. Michael Cunningham, longtime member of MCLC and longtime Vice President of the Foundation Board is replacing me as President. It is the right time for this and I am delighted and know that he will do a terrific job. His insights and opinions have been highly valued by the entire board and especially me.

I will remain on the board, serving out my last year of this term. I do not see any major changes in policy or practice. The board members have meshed well together and collectively we have made some major decisions without controversy. Robert’s Rules of Order have been observed with most decisions collegial.

We have reason to be proud of our asset growth over the years to more than $650,000 and the stewardship record of contributing and investing in projects and programs consistent with our mission. We have supported efforts here at church, in our greater community and on an international scale. Most investments have been related to members who have been personally involved.

The history of these efforts range from the very first when a member went back to his roots in Korea and took newborn supplies to the orphanage. Then, there were the computers that we helped Anna Moschet buy when she was in the Peace Corps in Kyrgyzstan. In addition, today we support the Seminary in Estonia.

Here at home, we can point to many projects from Eagle Scouts to new paraments to the homeless youth shelter in Chanhassen. We always strive to have your dollars truly make a difference.

It has been my great pleasure to serve as your President and I thank you for all the support and encouragement I have received. Some even bought into the Columbarium! Thanks to all.

Respectfully submitted,
Ross McGlasson

DEMSA Renovations

Demsa Renovations Near the End

After years of planning, design, redesign, demolition, construction, redesign, and more construction, we are nearing the completion of the renovations of the Demsa Health Referral Center. The final step of this long process has been the receipt and installation of equipment from Global Health Ministry. The 40-foot container of equipment and supplies from Global Health Ministries was received in March. Most of the equipment has been installed.

The new ceiling mounted LED surgical lights, new surgical table and new anesthesia machine has made surgery much easier. The X-ray machine will require some electrical modifications to the X-ray room. This will be the best equipped Health Center in the Demsa Local Government Area. The doctors at Demsa could not be happier with their new modern equipment.

Quilting News

IT’S BEEN A VERY LONG WINTER

Thank goodness for our quilt group that meets three times a month to give us a wonderful opportunity for fellowship while we make warm quilts for the homeless folks in the metro area. If you know of any women who have time on their hands, are a bit lonely, or love to visit or work with fabric, tell them about our group. We welcome newcomers.

Betty Renner hit the nail on the head when she referred to our group as a “joyful ministry.” Betty quilts with a different group nowdays, one that doesn’t miss seams, put knots where they don’t belong, or have one side longer than the other. I do truly expect that when the rest of us get to heaven, God will say, “I know you. You’re a part of the Mount Calvary Quilting Ministry”.

We’re on target once again to make and deliver over 1,000 quilts to the needy homeless in the metro area. We’ve expanded the donations to include blankets, toiletries, tote bags, and hand knit warm scarves and caps. What may surprise you is that we include the warm scarves and caps every single month, as we do get some cool nights in our summers. Or as I’m fond of saying, “If you think this isn’t necessary, you try sleeping under a bridge without a blanket and tell me you wouldn’t appreciate a warm scarf or cap.” That means it takes two vehicles every month to deliver these items. This month’s quilts go to St. Stephens.

Last month we delivered to a shelter, plus provided every single person in the Families Moving Forward with his or her own personal quilt plus a tote bag of needed items. The quilts were particularly chosen for the age and gender of the person with a pocket on the quilt filled with a beanie baby for each of the children.

We thank you for your prayers for this important ministry but even more so, for the homeless people in our midst. You are welcome to stop by for coffee any of the first three Thursdays of any month to see what we’re doing. We take a coffee break at 10:30am so that’s a good time, and we always have treats on hand.

Sharon Roos, Co-chair
Mount Calvary Quilting Ministry

 

State of the Church – June 2018

Okay, it’s time for some words of encouragement. I want everyone to get in the game, to play a key role, to…participate.

As I write about the state of the church, I not only look at where we are, but also where we want to be. What our future will look like, and what activities we are able to undertake, depends on the funding we have available. Which brings me to my message of participation.

We kicked off our “all in” campaign at the beginning of April. This campaign covers the next three years, and it will provide the funding for our capital projects and for the majority of our benevolence programs. As you might expect, we need to have a clear expectation of what the total amount raised will be before we can fully establish our priorities and commit to significant capital spending and benevolence amounts.

As the name implies, we are hoping for full participation with the all in campaign. I hope that every member of our congregation sees value in the improvements we are continually making to our church, and feels the emotional rewards from all of the lives we touch through our community support and benevolence programs. There is truly “something for everyone” in this campaign; our ministry and educational programs and the community groups we host will benefit from our improved facilities, and many of our benevolence partners rely on our support.

Now, I don’t mean we expect you to jeopardize your retirement, deplete your kids’ college fund or give up your family’s summer trip to participate. Every gift, regardless of amount, is greatly appreciated, and you can schedule your payment over time to make it even easier. I’m hoping my note today merely nudges you to do what you’ve been intending but have been procrastinating, and that today you become a participant.

Our hope is that everyone finds their reason to participate, and as a group we are all in!

Mike Kasprick,

Council President

Volunteering with Families Moving Forward

What is your favorite kind of volunteering? Do you like making things? Working with people? Beautifying the outdoors? There are so many options, and here at Mount Calvary, we have abundant gifts, a significant capacity to help others, and an amazing spirit for service. But, like most people, we’re busy, and we like to know that our volunteer time makes a difference.

Making a difference is what Families Moving Forward (FMF) is all about. When we volunteer with FMF, we know that we are actually helping families to regain homes of their own. As Chris Anderson says, “It’s the best program out there for homelessness,” and the mission of the organization is to end homelessness – one family at a time. Isn’t it powerful to think we have the ability to affect this kind of change in the lives of people in our community?

I wanted to learn more about volunteering with FMF, so I spoke with the Dutton family. They have been very involved as a family in helping to volunteer since Families Moving Forward started at Mount Calvary. I had a chance to sit down with Lisa Dutton and three of her charming sons – Drew, Charlie, and Jack – to talk about their experiences volunteering with the program.

I asked the Duttons about FMF and why it fits their mission, as a family. Lisa says that what speaks to her most, is that FMF “doesn’t just put a band-aid on the problem. They give families the tools they need to make real change.”

Charlie, age 17, has spent nights with the families as an overnight host and appreciates the chance to interact with new people. He says that although some people can feel shy at first, it’s never long before everyone begins to interact, and soon, people begin to chat and even sing. He told me about part of FMF training, and how it includes conversational tools that help volunteers ask non-intrusive, open-ended questions to make visiting with newcomers easy.

Pastor Dave talks about the “accompaniment model.” It’s where we work side-by-side with people to share ourselves, and to find out about them and their needs. As he says, “It creates the sense that we’re all the family of God”. Drew Dutton, age 19, told me it’s nice to go into the FMF gatherings with no agenda – just to hang out with everyone, just like one big family. He used a great phrase to describe the scene: “a melting pot of conversation.”

Jack, age 12, loves playing with the children. The games and activities provided for the FMF families are right up his alley. I asked him if many of the children are his age. Not often, but he is happy to help entertain kids of all ages. The Dutton boys remembered an autistic boy, who was staying with his grandmother, and homeless. It really affected them to think that a grandmother, who was doing everything she could for her grandson, could be without a home.

Families Moving Forward offers us a unique glimpse into some of the hardships faced by people in our community. We invite you to be a part of that “melting pot,” this August. If you would like to volunteer, or learn more about FMF, contact Chris Anderson for more information.

Time to Plan for the Mud Run!

Save the Date!

Grab your phone or daily planner and flip to July. The Tonka Mud Run, which benefits Many Hands Many Meals, is July 14 at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park. Whether you want to tackle a fun, family-friendly athletic challenge, or would like to volunteer on the course, there are ways for everyone to take part.

Tonka Mud Run: A 3.5-mile timed race, with obstacles including navigating a maze, sliding down a water slide, carrying firewood and more.

Tonka Mud Run “Just Have Fun” option: The same 3.5-mile course, but participants can take shortcuts and skip obstacles (many people opt to walk and chat).

Mini-Tonka Mud Run: A ¼-mile course for younger children, with obstacles including rolling downhill and jumping over hay bales.

Volunteering: From directing traffic to helping at water stations, we need lots of help to make this day a success.

The Tonka Mud Run aims to support those who face the challenge of hunger by completing a challenging athletic event. Proceeds from the race help us purchase supplies and pack life-saving meals that go to local organizations and help those in need around the world.

Registration is open! Sign up to race or volunteer and learn more at tonkamudrun4.mh-mm.org. Thank you!

NEWS FROM the MOUNT CALVARY FOUNDATION


MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM NAMED TO CHAIR

In its April meeting, the Mount Calvary Foundation board named Michael Cunningham to the role of President. He replaces Ross McGlasson who has served as president for 15 years. Michael has been the vice-president for several years and a member of MCLC for a long time. Ross will continue to serve out his term through 2018.

The board also discussed the formation of other standing committees in addition to the Investment Committee. These discussions will continue into upcoming meetings. This coincided with a discussion of growing the board makeup to include younger members.

Another topic under discussion is the funding request from Campfire Minnesota who operates the local Camp Tanadoona. They currently have a major fund-raising effort to modernize the camp and make it a more viable year-round facility. They will have overnight facilities and replace the old dining hall with a significant facility operating as a conference center. A decision to support this effort will be in May.

Board meetings are open to all members, We meet at 7:30am the second Tuesday of the month in room 205.

His House Volunteer Teresa Fuller

It has been Serve to the Max at Mount Calvary and it always reminds me of the volunteers at His House who always Serve to the Max. I wanted to share the story of one volunteer that serves beyond the max —at His House that person is Teresa Fuller.

When my husband had a temporary job transfer to Chicago, I wasn’t sure who would keep His House going in my absence. In stepped Teresa. I guess she didn’t just step in…she jumped in!

It started with donation pick-ups. You might have passed her on the road and wondered if she was from an episode of The Beverly Hillbillies. She will pick up a mattress on one side of town and deliver it to a single mom with five kids that needs it for her 15 year-old-son that sleeps on the sofa. She will pick up left over funeral food from church and deliver it to a family that doesn’t have enough money to buy food. And after she gets home from doing all that, she will answer her phone about another single mom who ran out of gas on highway 7 with her four small children in the car. Teresa will jump in her car with a gas can, drive to their car, fill it up with gas and give the mom’s car a jump.

So when we talk about Serve to the Max I think of Teresa!

Martha Brannon
His House

Youth Stock Sales

We had a successful year with our Youth Mission Trip Stock Sales! The investment in Mount Calvary youth ensures that mission trips can be accessible to every youth that has a spirit for service.

The sales drive culminated April 29 with our big pancake-breakfast, congregational thank you!