Death: Received by our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal joy in heaven was Dorothy Pearcy. May the comfort and hope of Jesus’ resurrection sustain her family and all who mourn her death.

Circle Guides lead Friendship Circles of six or so kids during the week of Vacation Bible School at RLC. The most important job of a Circle Guide is to welcome and befriend the kids in your group. Circle Guides are leaders, not teachers; they develop friendships with every child in their group; help, encourage, and model cooperation; ask questions and lead kids to discover Bible answers; and more!!!

If you are interested in being a Circle Guide during RLC ‘s Friendship Trek Vacation Bible School 2008 please contact Julie Peralta at 881-7854. Friendship Trek will be the week of June 9-13!

Mark your calendars for a new Bible Study to begin on Saturday, April 12^th at 7:30am at Resurrection. We will be using Tony Dungy’s Men’s Bible Study based on his book Quiet Strength. There will be 6 sessions the second Saturday of the month in the Fellowship Hall. Bible study books may be purchased at Borders or Barnes & Noble.

PLUS . . . . eat a great breakfast and enjoy fellowship with RLC guys! All men are welcome! Sign-up in the Narthex or on a bulletin yellow response form.

The next Women’s Bible Study will be Thursday, April 10^th at 9:30am. Light refreshments will be served prior to the study. Look for the study in the April issue of Lutheran Women Today, in the RLC library. All women are welcome!

From the Staff . . . .

Our Resurrection Life Together

Dear Resurrection People,

I love that greeting . . . I still remember during the call process with RLC, the first time Pastor Dave told me about using that descriptor for the folks at Resurrection. Of course, all of us as Christians are resurrection people, but in a congregation named for that event which is central to our faith, we truly strive to give concrete expression to what it means to be resurrection people. Chiefly, that means always looking for ways to share the good news of God’s grace and the new life promised through Jesus Christ. It means proclaiming the promise of life even in the midst of death. It means looking ahead to the future that God has promised and prepared for us, trying to discern where God is calling us to go and how God is calling us to always be a reforming church so that we may best respond to God’s call in this day and time.

Having just celebrated the Festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord, and with the world around us beginning to break into the signs of spring, we move forward with a renewed sense of the new life our Lord offers to us. Having made our Lenten journey and once again entered into the drama of Holy Week, we now look around us for ways to fully embrace our new life in Christ.

It was just about a year ago that we received word that we were accepted into the Indianapolis Center for Congregation’s Life Together: Thinking and Acting Strategically grant initiative. We then put together a proposal to guide us through the first phase of “thinking strategically.” Through last fall and winter, we have had special events, discussions, and surveys to help us recall the past, assess the present, and discover the vision. The Life Together team is now ready in April to share with the congregation what we have learned, engage in dialogue, and draw some conclusions. There are elements of this that relate to our facilities, ministries, programs, and staffing. The conclusions will then go into a proposal for the second phase of “acting strategically” – the implementation phase.

The Life Together team invites everyone to join us in the Sanctuary during the Discipleship Hour in April as we share information, receive feedback, and engage in dialogue. All of this is very fluid at this time, but the tentative topics are:

April 6 Gleanings from the World Café discussions of our Mission Statement

April 13 Natural Church Development and RLC’s “weakest link”

April 20 Our Congregation and Our Context – results of the survey taken at worship

April 27 Where do we go from here? Discerning God’s call for our Life Together

Please join us for these exciting conversations!

One of the surest signs of Christ living in our midst is the many ministries taking place in and through Resurrection. On the first Sunday in March, we began to highlight our various ministries through a “Mission Moment” at the time of the offering. So far, Mission Moments have been shared by:

The Childcare Ministry Team provides a nursery that is a happy and healthy experience for everyone involved. They welcome children from birth to five years old to come and make their first church friends. In the past year, the team has implemented a paging system to notify parents if they are needed during worship. Recently a workshop was held to update the CPR certifications of the nursery staff and team members. (If interested in this team, contact Jennifer Barrett at 786-1725.)

The Church Property Ministry Team was formed last October to oversee the maintenance of the church property. Since then they have had two workdays to take care of numerous projects around the church, including replacing all of the light-bulbs. (If interested in this team, contact Paul Wessel at 889-8002.)

The Parish Nurse Ministry Team is the one-person team of Gloria Aplin. She serves as an advocate for RLC disciples with their doctors. She visits homebound persons, those in the hospital, and has accompanied people to doctor appointments. She has organized several blood drives. (If interested in this team, contact Gloria at 535-5648.)

The Stephen Ministry Team trains and supports Stephen Ministers who provided one-on-one caregiving. Since being commissioned last fall, the twelve Stephen Ministers have provided care to over twenty care receivers. Some Stephen Ministers also make hospital visits. (If interested in this team, contact Joanne Daniel at 888-0138.)

RLC Kids . . . .

Jesus’ Death & Resurrection

Continuing through April 27^th the Discipleship Hour children will be exploring a large and important story. It is comprised of a series of stories that encompass the last week of Jesus’ earthly life and ministry. Matthew’s gospel contrasts two kingdoms: one giving allegiance to the power of evil and the other to the power of God. Each has a king. The power of evil in the world is represented by King Herod and, to a lesser extent, Pilate. The power of God is represented by the messianic king Jesus, who is called both “Son of David” and “Son of God.” In the portion of scripture we are exploring, often referred to as Matthew’s passion narrative, these two realms come into climactic conflict and the true nature of each is revealed through the dramatic events of Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

Summer Camp 2008! . . . .

Who’s going? We would love to know who will be participating in camp this summer. Please let Ms. Julie know soon if you are planning to participate in Camp 2008. There is no experience like camp – meeting new friends, playing games, exploring the wilderness, and hearing stories told about God around a campfire.

Check-out the brochure on the bulletin board beside Ms. Julie’s office – RLC youth who participated last year are featured! We value this experience for our young people; therefore RLC will contribute financially to your camp experience. Please visit with Julie Peralta to get more details.

Jesus, Our Forever Friend

Meet Jesus, Our Forever Friend, at Friendship Trek during the week of June 9-13 from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Kids ages 3 years old through current 4^th graders meet friends, explore Bible stories, do fun activities, sing great songs, make crafts, play games, and eat snacks. We expect a great response, so enroll your child today. To register, visit our website: www.rlcindy.org and click on VBS 2008. If you have any questions please contact Julie Peralta at the church office: 317-881-7854. We look forward to you joining us!

Following Jesus’ Way . . . .

During our May Discipleship Hour rotation, children will be discovering and exploring the book of Acts. If you are interested in joining the journey through art, computers, drama, etc., please visit the Safe Harbor or contact Margie McCoy or Julie Peralta. We look forward to setting sail on Sunday, May 4^th.

RLC Kids . . .

Kids Club . . . .

All kids in 1^st-5^th grade are invited to join Kids Club on April 13^th from 12:15-4:00pm. We will be having lunch at church and then going to play miniature golf. First timers to Kids Clubs are welcome – come meet in the Fellowship Hall after church on April 13^th. The sign-up sheet is posted across from Julie's office. Volunteer adult drivers can also sign the sheet!

B2K spring event . . . .

Mark your calendars – the next B2K event will take place at the church on May 4^th following the 10:45 service. Lunch will be provided and a free-will offering collected. We will be making a Mother’s Day craft (so Moms don’t look!) After lunch and the craft, we will be riding bikes in the parking lot. Please bring your bikes and helmets! If the weather does not cooperate we will have more fun things indoors. Hope to see you all there!

YG Camp Amnicon Participants . . . .

We will meet on Sunday, April 27 at 12:00pm to practice and sharpen-up our canoeing skills! Watch for more details!

Current 6^th - 12^th Graders

Annual Kings Island Trip

Monday, June 2^nd

F.S.S. #2 “Raising a Toddler”

All parents and their 2 or 3 year old are invited to participate in the “Raising a Toddler” Faith Stepping Stone. Faith Stepping Stones is a process that bonds parents and children into the body of Christ at crucial moments in parenting and leads them to incubate faith every night in every home. When you and your child participate in this Faith Stepping Stone you will both learn to pray together along with receiving the blessing of time together.

Please join us in the Fellowship Hall during the 9:30 Discipleship Hour on Sunday, April 27 and May 4, 11, and 18. The blessing service will be on Sunday, May 18^th. If you have any questions please contact Kathy French or Julie Peralta.

F.S.S. #8 “Graduation”

Seniors and parents will have the final session on Sunday, April 20^th during the 9:30 Discipleship Hour. On Saturday, April 26 during the 5:30 worship service we will celebrate the blessing followed by a special banquet for seniors and their families. The seniors and parents have had the opportunity to look to the past, think about today, and look to the future. We invite you to come and celebrate with our seniors and parents during the 5:30 worship service.

RLC Kids . . . .

How to continue strengthening my faith

when away from “church” . . . .

Go to www.rlcindy.org, click on Home Devotions in the left column to be redirected to Ready-Click-Grow from the Youth & Family Institute. Here is an example from the “Just for Grandparents – Just for a Memory”:

Cousins Party:

For grandparents to do with their grandkids. Get the grandkids together to share fun and memories. This activity will take some time and energy, but the chance to bring younger members of the family together for this memory-making event will be well worth it.

Materials:

• A favorite dessert recipe and ingredients
• Each cousin should bring a favorite story to read (or have read) or to tell
• Sleeping bags or bedding for all cousins
• Food for dinner and breakfast
• Board or card games

Write, call, or e-mail all grandchildren at least one month in advance, inviting them to the Cousins Party. Plan for dinner and breakfast for the number of grandchildren who will be attending. Choose a favorite dessert recipe for grandchildren to make with you. This recipe can be copied and given to the kids as a keepsake to make for their families. After dessert, play board games, card games, or games found on ReadyClickGrow Your Family in the Fun-n-Games folder. Look at old photo albums and share information about relatives with whom your grandchildren may not be familiar. Answer any questions about family history that your grandchildren may have.

Place sleeping bags or bedding in a kid-friendly room. For even more fun, bed down with the gang. Read or tell stories until everyone gets sleepy. Before everyone goes to sleep, close the evening with a family prayer. Ask each person to thank God for one special thing about their family. In the morning, include all the cousins in clean up and breakfast preparation. Go for a short hike or walk together before they return home to their parents.

Note: Cousins and their parents who come from a long distance may need to stay for more than one night. The night of the gathering, phone or e-mail any cousins who cannot attend, letting them know how much they are missed and loved. If your grandchild or grandchildren don't have cousins, adapt this activity. Invite your grandchild or grandchildren to your home and share meals, a dessert recipe, games, photos, stories, prayers, and a walk together.

During April the Life Together team will be sharing information gleaned from special events, discussions, and surveys as part of the “Thinking Strategically” phase of the Life Together grant initiative. These sessions in the sanctuary will include sharing information and feedback, engaging in dialogue, and drawing conclusions to guide the “Acting Strategically” phase of the Life Together grant.

The Life Together team has been reviewing all of the information from the four World Café events that focused on the four verbs in our Mission Statement. Some consistent themes have emerged to help guide our ministry as we move forward.

Natural Church Development (NCD) is the name of a research project that has identified eight “quality characteristics” of growing churches. A survey given to 30 people has assessed RLC on these eight characteristics. Come learn about the eight characteristics and which one is the “weakest link” for RLC.

April 20 Our Congregation and Our Context – results of the survey taken at worship

At the end of January, we took time from worship services to complete a survey. The results of the survey have been compared to the community around us. Come learn some interesting demographic and lifestyle information about the congregation and community – and help us determine what they tell us about the future of our congregation’s ministry.

April 27 Where do we go from here? Discerning God’s call for our Life Together

This week we will pick up any loose ends, have open dialogue, and draw some conclusions to direct the implementation phase of the Life Together grant initiative.

RLC Choirs . . . .

All the RLC Choirs, vocal and bells, will resume practicing on Wednesday, April 9. Thank you for your wonderful music during Holy Week and Easter!

Playtime Port Sign-up . . . .

Playtime Port ministers play with the children in the nursery during worship service or Discipleship Hour on Sunday mornings. They assist the paid staff with playing, reading, entertaining the children but never need to change a diaper! If you are interested in this ministry, please sign-up on the bulletin board in the narthex!

FB/YG Team Huddle . . . .

Our last team huddle for the year will be on Sunday, April 20^th beginning at 12:15pm. Please R.S.V.P. to julie@rlcindy.org no later than April 7^th! We look forward to chatting about the end of the year celebrations and thanking you for your time! See you on the 20^th!

VBS Huddle . . . .

The VBS Team will meet on Monday, April 7^th at 6:45pm.

Games & Cards . . . .

Epsilon Sigma Alpha, Beta Gamma Chapter, a leadership/service organization, is having a games and card night for the whole family on Saturday, April 12^th, 6:30-10:00pm at RLC. This evening is a benefit for Camp Riley, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Easter Seals. $3.00 admission. Children under 10 free.

Join Us on Camp Sunday

On Sunday, April 20 two camp staff members will be visiting RLC – Allie & Sam. Beginning at 9:20 Allie & Sam will share camp songs with everyone young and young at heart in the sanctuary. This will provide an opportunity to see what summer camp offers for our children along with visiting a display table in the Narthex.

Over the years many of our youth have participated in summer camp and say it is one of their favorite memories! If you are worried about singing camp songs for 60 minute, never fear it will be no more than 20. See you on April 20^th for Camp Sunday.

Book Discussion . . . .

Coming soon will be a book discussion of The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Walt Disney pictures and Walden Media release the movie in theatres on May 16^th!

Summer Reading . . . .

Do you have any suggestions for book discussions over the summer – children, youth, and/or adults? Please contact Lesley McDougal.

Be a Good Steward

of God’s Creation

A special “Green Gardening Earth Day” on the weekend of April 19 & 20 at RLC will feature displays to walk through. Team members and hands-on displays will be available throughout the morning on April 20^th. There also will be an opportunity to see an RLC member’s first year organic garden and see how it all came together. More details to come in the Sunday announcement page.

The Creation Care Ministry Team is planning a church building clean-up of hazardous and toxic waste materials. If you have any items such as these please consider turning them in at the following dates and locations as you celebrate Earth Day in April:

Marion County: 9:00am-2:00pm on the second and 4^th Saturday of each month at Perry Twp. Government Center, 4925 Shelby St. Johnson County: 8:00am to 2:00pm on Saturday, April 19^th at Johnson County Waste Mgmt. District 18, W. Jefferson St., Franklin, IN

Remember: Low Carbon Diet Workshop in Greenwood at the Central Nine Career Center on U.S. 31 runs for five Tuesdays 6:00-7:30pm from April 8-May 13.

S.A.M.’s Club . . . .

S.A.M.’s Club (Senior Adult Ministry) will meet Monday, April 21^st for a free one hour tour of the Indiana State Police Academy Museum at 21^st and Post Road (all on one floor). We will meet at the church to car-pool at 10:00am. All adults are invited.

Senior Ministry Program . . . .

Two members of RLC are participating in a Feasibility Study Group for Senior Adult Ministry in Perry Township, hosted at Calvary Lutheran. John Moe and Linda Huck, along with lay and clergy representatives from eight other protestant and Catholic churches in the area meet monthly. The group has prepared a survey sheet to explore a Senior Ministry Program for the participating churches. This survey will be handed out to members age 50 and above in the near future!

Prayer

The FaithBuilders and Youth Group will have a Prayer-Walk-A-Thon on Sunday, May 18^th. Watch for details in the coming weeks how you can help support our Youth Group and other charitable organizations. (This will replace the Youth Group’s car wash this year.)