40 Years With Pastor Dave Celebration
Scenes from 40 Years with Pastor Dave
Pastor Aaron’s Daunte Wright Special Message
The prophet Jeremiah joins his tears with God’s, crying out, O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!
This past week a family’s tears and a whole community’s cries joined the weeping of God over the death of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man who was killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center. People are grieving, traumatized, and angry.
Just over two weeks ago, on Maundy Thursday, we heard Christ give us his greatest command, “Love one another as I have loved you.” What does it mean for us to love our brothers and sisters of every race and ethnicity as Christ loves us? What can we do better? What can I do better?
We do not have simple answers but we do know two places to start:
First, we join our prayers together: God watch over and be with Daunte Wright’s family. God watch over and be with the police officer involved, Kim Potter, and her family. And I invite you to continue praying together using our Prayer Around the Cross and Racial Reconciliation worship services. You can find these on our website and at the links in the description below.
Second, we join in learning together. Mount Calvary invites you to join the Be The Bridge 101 dismantling racism series specifically designed to give people a place to begin the journey of reconciliation. Please join with the other Mount Calvary members already registered to do this important work of listening and learning. You can register online now at mountcalvary.org/outreach.
The Prophet Jeremiah concludes the chapter: Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.
I pray we live out God’s Words as a congregation and as a nation. I invite you to join together now in a time of silent prayer.
Moment of Silence
LitChicks Book List
LitChicks 2021-2022
LitChicks is a fun, come when you can group for women. We have lively, thoughtful
discussions where we are free to consider issues from a Christian perspective or just
from our own perspective. Anyone is welcome to come to any meeting, there is no
commitment needed. Our bimonthly meetings will be on the second Thursday from
7:00-8:30pm in the Fireside Room. Most importantly, we will read good books, have
deep discussions, and laugh a lot. Please join us!
July 8, 2021 This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
September 9, 2021 The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel
November 11, 2021 The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
January 13, 2022 Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce
March 10, 2022 The Vanishing Half by Britt Bennett
May 12, 2022 The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
Contacts: Mary K. Klein mkklein@me.com, Paula Evanich pevanich@hotmail.com,
Caroline Linden cblinden@outlook.com
Holy Week 2021
 We invite you to make the Holy Week journey with us. Beginning with Palm Sunday, we’ll remember Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem. Maundy Thursday we’ll celebrate that First Communion. On Good Friday, we give thanks that God can be found in the last place you would expect an all-powerful deity to be: On the cross. And at the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday we’ll bring joy to our church as we spread the good news that Jesus is risen. Risen indeed! Register for In-Person Worship  Palm Sunday. Our online service will celebrate the day with a sermon from Pastor Dave and music from our youth choir, Bel Canto.  Maundy Thursday. Join us at the Lord’s table. Pastor Aaron will preach and we will celebrate First Communion. Special music from Mark Abelsen and Mary Lechelt. Watch livestream or register to attend in person.  Good Friday. Please join us online for family friendly worship at 10am. Traditional Good Friday worship will be at 7pm with Pastor Brenda and we’ll hear music from the Chamber Choir.  Easter Vigil on Saturday. Andrea Fieldhouse Griner will lead us through the Easter Vigil story with a bluegrass band! Watch livestream or register to attend in person.  Easter Sunday. Easter Worship premieres at 6am. Join Pastor Dave for a festival celebration of brass, choirs and the Hallelujah Chorus. Families, catch Part Two of the Easter Story. Join us online! |
Read the latest from His House
My name is Martha Brannon, Founder and Executive Director of His House Foundation (HHF), a 501(c )(3) organization that provides direct services to families in need and acts as a catalyst for increased sharing within our community. HHF has a focus on assisting families that are homeless or recently homeless, and people experiencing crisis. We are proud of our commitment to do all this without boundaries, limits, or service areas. We serve based on dignity and need.
The His House Foundation team believe food and shelter are considered core essentials for human life and should be accessible without barriers.
We are writing to thank everyone for supporting our organization in 2020 and assisting in our response to the crisis of Covid-19. HHF immediately responded to emergency requests of food and basic needs. We expanded our Abundance Food Share for the Carver County hotel program serving local homeless.
ABUNDANCE FOOD SHARE
Abundance is collecting and redistributing approximately 10,000 pounds of food each month in partnership with Carver County Environmental Services and their program of diverting food from the waste stream. Some of our food partners are Buddy Boy’s Barbecue, Little Caesars Pizza, Star Bucks, KFC and Chick-Fil-A. We also pick-up perishables from several food shelves and deliver those items immediately to the hotels with homeless programs and people in crisis. The Abundance team delivers food and basic needs daily to all 4 hotels that participate in the county homeless program, and several other hotels where people are living after being excluded from traditional rental options.
CARES AND CHAP RENTAL ASSISTANCE
His House coordinated 8 workshops for the government emergency rental assistance programs due to COVID-19: CARES and CHAP funding. We partnered with Mt Calvary Lutheran Church, Excelsior United Methodist, and the West Interfaith Community Engagement team. The workshops focused on removing barriers such as technology, language and qualifications. Our process resulted in over $100,000 in emergency back rent paid out to landlords.
HOMELESS TRANSISTIONS
Each month the wonderful His House volunteers assist approximately 8 households move out of homelessness and into sustainable housing. This transition includes new pillows, bedding, towels, dishes, pot and pans, detergent and dish soap. We also have taken on the need in a coordinated effort of delivering mattresses for all family members. This can be as many as 6 mattresses in a household. Collecting and moving used mattresses so people will have a bed to sleep in their first night in their new home. We estimate 288 mattresses have been collected and redistributed in 2020.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER
The Community Resource Center is in the basement of the Chaska Moravian Church with access on Walnut St. We serve families in crisis with basic needs including clothing, winter gear, personal care products, and food. Every day people request access or see the door open and stop by. We made modifications during the COVID-19 crisis by following CDC guidelines and limiting the number of visitors. Even though the Resource Center is open by appointment only, we served over 2,000 clients in 2020.
EMERGENCY HOUSING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
His House Foundation provided emergency housing financial assistance of $9,275 to people that were homeless or near homeless and did not qualify for other programs. Most of the funding was requested for people excluded from any housing options, literally homeless because of behaviors that put their housing at risk, or hotel stays for people waiting to enter the county’s homeless programs. Approximately 7% was used for prevention.
LOOKING AHEAD
We are ready for 2021! His House and our food share program Abundance is committed to increasing food access and basic needs to people that have barriers accessing these in traditional ways. As more people slip into financial crisis, we are ready to address basic needs in a cohesive flow without barriers put in place that can allow personal judgements and stereotypes to interrupt that flow. The state of MN approved HHF to provide services and case management to clients with greater barriers to stable housing. We believe food is a metaphor for need and are committed to making food and necessities more accessible to all.
Martha Brannon, Executive Director, His House Foundation
