Faith Focus: St. Olaf, Sudanese congregation mark 10 years together

St. Olaf, Sudanese congregation mark 10 years together

On Sunday, St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin and its Nuer Sudanese Congregation will celebrate 10 years of partnership in ministry.

The festive worship service at 2 p.m. will be held in the sanctuary and will include as many as 17 Nuer baptisms. ELCA Synod staff along with other out-of-town guests will attend. After the service, a Sudanese dinner will be served in the Fellowship Hall.

Spring Valley's Faith UMC celebrates Thanksgiving

Everyone is invited and welcome to come to a Thanksgiving worship service, 7 p.m. Nov. 27 at Faith United Methodist Church, 617 Maple Lane in Spring Valley.

The worship service will be casual and informal as we gather to give thanks for the many blessings we share. Sister Luv, a talented, inspiring and uplifting musical group from Spring Valley, will sing and offer beautiful seasonal music. People are invited to bring nonperishable food for the local food shelf.

For more information, contact the church at 507-346-2830.

Enjoy a complimentary Thanksgiving dinner

A complimentary Thanksgiving dinner will be served by the Lanesboro Faith Discovery Community on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The location is 507 Parkway Ave. S., Lanesboro, the former United Methodist Church.

This is the 17th Thanksgiving dinner to be held and it is widely known for its welcoming atmosphere and delicious menu. The dishes vary a little from year to year, however, the must-have staples such as stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, squash, pie, and of course, the turkey, are always on the menu. Community members assist and take part in food prep, serving and contributing, thus making this event the essence of Thanksgiving: the appreciation of nature’s abundance and our ability to share a meal with others. Everyone is welcome! Carry-outs are available as well.

Lanesboro Discovery Faith Community is a lay-led congregation, welcoming everyone to a time of worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Our goal is to be open-minded, helpful and to be a good neighbor. It is our hope that everyone’s Thanksgiving can be a day to appreciate each other and the food available to us.

For more information please connect with us via Facebook (Discovery Faith Community) or call 467-4466.

Zumbro Lutheran hosts Christmas bazaar

The annual Zumbro Lutheran Church Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7.

A traditional meatball luncheon will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; menu includes meatballs, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, coleslaw, fruit soup, lefse, and Scandinavian baked goods (sandbakkels, krumkake, rosettes).

Luncheon cost is $15 adult, $5 ages 6-12, under 5 years free. Lefse will be available for sale beginning at 10 a.m. ($8/4 piece package, limit 3 packages). Live music and sales will take place throughout the day beginning at 9 a.m. Sales include Attic Treasures, baked goods, and crafts.

Guests are invited to relax and enjoy treats at the Bazaar Coffee House between 9 a.m. and noon ($5/person) and children will decorate gingerbread and make Christmas ornaments between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. (freewill donation). Childcare will be available in the nursery between 9:30 a.m.- and 12:30 p.m. (limit one hour per child under 5).

All proceeds from the event are distributed to local and global missions. Zumbro Lutheran Church is at 624 Third Ave. SW. Contact the church office at 288-2649 with questions.

Join Advent Quiet Day at Calvary church

Advent Quiet Day is offered by Calvary Sacred Circle, a contemplative ministry of Calvary Episcopal Church, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 7 at Calvary Episcopal Church.

The following candle-lit activities will be ongoing and available all afternoon:

• The church sanctuary will be open for clergy counsel, confession and companionship, or quiet solitude.
• The labyrinth will be open for walking or for seated meditation and is available to all abilities.
• Contemplative art and journaling activities offered -- take home a colored hand-drawn mandala.

All materials are provided and parishioners are available for instruction and guidance.
Taize Worship Service at 4 p.m. in Brackenridge Hall includes the repetitive chanting and singing of harmonized tunes to instrumental accompaniment. Taizé music highlights simple phrases, usually lines from the Psalms or other pieces of scripture, repeated or sung in canon. The repetition is designed to serve as a form of meditation and prayer. This style of Christian worship practiced by the ecumenical Taizé community in France, is interspersed with readings, prayers, and periods of silence.

Come for any or all of the activities and stay as long as you like. Quiet Day is a moving and meaningful way to start the Holy season of Advent.

Contact sacredcircle@calvary-rochester.org for more information or call the church office at 282-9429.

Calvary Church is at 111 Third Ave. SW. Use the west entrance to the church on Fourth Avenue.

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